2012Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2012Phases of the Moon
Pacific Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Pacific Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 8 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2012 Phases of the Moon   
      Pacific Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Dec 31  22:15    Jan  8  23:30    Jan 16  01:08   
 Jan 22  23:39    Jan 30  20:10    Feb  7  13:54    Feb 14  09:04   
 Feb 21  14:35    Feb 29  17:22    Mar  8  01:40    Mar 14  17:25   
 Mar 22  06:37    Mar 30  11:41    Apr  6  11:19    Apr 13  02:50   
 Apr 20  23:18    Apr 29  01:58    May  5  19:35    May 12  13:47   
 May 20  15:47 A  May 28  12:16    Jun  4  03:12 p  Jun 11  02:41   
 Jun 19  07:02    Jun 26  19:30    Jul  3  10:52    Jul 10  17:48   
 Jul 18  20:24    Jul 26  00:56    Aug  1  19:27    Aug  9  10:55   
 Aug 17  07:54    Aug 24  05:54    Aug 31  05:58    Sep  8  05:15   
 Sep 15  18:11    Sep 22  11:41    Sep 29  19:19    Oct  7  23:33   
 Oct 15  04:02    Oct 21  19:32    Oct 29  11:50    Nov  6  16:36   
 Nov 13  14:08 T  Nov 20  06:31    Nov 28  06:46 n  Dec  6  07:32   
 Dec 13  00:42    Dec 19  21:19    Dec 28  02:21   -
An eclipse of the Sun can only occur at New Moon (see: Solar Eclipses for Beginners), while an eclipse of the Moon can only occur at Full Moon (see: Lunar Eclipses for Beginners). In any calendar year there are a minimum of two solar and two lunar eclipses.
If an eclipse of the Sun or Moon takes place on a given date, it is noted by a character next to the date in the table above. Solar eclipses are indicated as: T=Total, A=Annular, H=Hybrid and P=Partial.Lunar eclipses are indicated as: t=Total, p=Partial, and n=Penumbral. 
Phases of the Moon Photo Gallery is an image collection showing the Moon's phases over a complete synodic month.
2012Calendar of Astronomical Events
Pacific Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Pacific Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 8 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2012Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Pacific Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     PST   Event        (h:m)Jan 02  12:19  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    02  18:46  Jupiter 5.0°S of Moon    03  23     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  17     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328 AU    05  01:17  Pleiades 2.8°N of Moon    05  23:43  Aldebaran 5.8°S of Moon    06  06:30  Moon at Descending Node     08  23:30  FULL MOON     12  05:04  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    15  23:21  Spica 2.0°N of Moon    16  01:08  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  11:07  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    17  13:28  Moon at Perigee: 369883 km    17  22     Mercury at Aphelion     19  02:59  Antares 4.2°S of Moon    19  10:26  Moon at Ascending Node     22  23:39  NEW MOON     30  06:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    30  09:42  Moon at Apogee: 404325 km    30  20:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON Feb 01  09:42  Pleiades 3.0°N of Moon    02  08:22  Aldebaran 5.7°S of Moon    02  12:02  Moon at Descending Node     07  01     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     07  13:54  FULL MOON     08  12:43  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    11  10:32  Moon at Perigee: 367920 km    12  04:47  Spica 1.8°N of Moon    12  17:08  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    14  09:04  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  08:35  Antares 4.4°S of Moon    15  12:16  Moon at Ascending Node     15  13     Mars at Aphelion:  1.66598 AU    19  12     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     21  14:35  NEW MOON     25  13:44  Venus 3.3°S of Moon    26  22:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon    27  06:01  Moon at Apogee: 404864 km    28  17:46  Pleiades 3.3°N of Moon    29  14:37  Moon at Descending Node     29  16:45  Aldebaran 5.4°S of Moon    29  17:22  FIRST QUARTER MOON Mar 01  21     Mercury at Perihelion     03  11     Mars at Opposition     05  01     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    06  22:36  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    08  01:40  FULL MOON     10  02:02  Moon at Perigee: 362401 km    10  12:20  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    10  23:00  Saturn 6.2°N of Moon    13  12:41  Moon at Ascending Node     13  14     Venus 3.0°N of Jupiter    13  14:10  Antares 4.7°S of Moon    14  17:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     19  21:15  Vernal Equinox     20  17     Venus at Perihelion     21  11     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     22  06:37  NEW MOON     24  10     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     25  15:57  Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon    25  22:04  Moon at Apogee: 405780 km    26  10:21  Venus 1.8°N of Moon    26  23     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E    27  00:56  Pleiades 3.5°N of Moon    27  16:19  Moon at Descending Node     28  00:07  Aldebaran 5.2°S of Moon    30  11:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON Apr 03  05:18  Venus 0.4°S of Pleiades    03  09:10  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    06  11:19  FULL MOON     06  22:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    07  06:07  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    07  08:59  Moon at Perigee: 358314 km    09  16:47  Moon at Ascending Node     09  21:54  Antares 4.9°S of Moon    13  02:50  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  10     Saturn at Opposition     15  18:18  Mars 0.7°N of Regulus    18  09     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W    20  23:18  NEW MOON     21  21     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  05:49  Moon at Apogee: 406422 km    23  07:15  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    23  19:43  Moon at Descending Node     24  06:27  Aldebaran 5.0°S of Moon    24  18:21  Venus 5.7°N of Moon    29  01:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON     30  18:31  Regulus 6.1°N of MoonMay 04  09:26  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    04  10     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    04  14:04  Saturn 6.4°N of Moon    05  19:33  Moon at Perigee: 356954 km    05  19:35  FULL MOON     07  01:43  Moon at Ascending Node     07  07:57  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    12  13:47  LAST QUARTER MOON     13  05     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  08:13  Moon at Apogee: 406451 km    20  15:47  NEW MOON     20  15:53  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.944    21  01:20  Moon at Descending Node     22  12:52  Venus 4.7°N of Moon    27  03     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  01:43  Regulus 6.2°N of Moon    28  12:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  21     Mercury at Perihelion     31  19:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon    31  21:45  Saturn 6.5°N of MoonJun 03  05:19  Moon at Perigee: 358483 km    03  12:38  Moon at Ascending Node     03  18:51  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    04  03:03  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.370    04  03:12  FULL MOON     05  17     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     11  01:30  Jupiter 4.7°S of Pleiades    11  02:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     15  17:24  Moon at Apogee: 405791 km    16  19:34  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon    17  00:23  Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    17  07:43  Moon at Descending Node     17  16:47  Venus 2.1°S of Moon    19  07:02  NEW MOON     20  09:50  Mercury 4.9°S of Pollux    20  15:08  Summer Solstice     21  02:33  Venus 2.2°N of Aldebaran    24  07:18  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    26  07:02  Mars 5.8°N of Moon    26  19:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  03:04  Spica 1.4°N of Moon    28  04:40  Saturn 6.3°N of Moon    30  18     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E    30  21:45  Moon at Ascending Node 
Date     PST   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  00     Venus 4.8°S of Jupiter    01  04:42  Antares 5.0°S of Moon    01  10:01  Moon at Perigee: 362363 km    02  06:57  Mercury 1.6°S of Beehive    03  10:52  FULL MOON     04  20     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668 AU    08  20:13  Venus 0.9°N of Aldebaran    10  17:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  02     Venus at Aphelion     11  20     Mercury at Aphelion     13  08:47  Moon at Apogee: 404783 km    14  02:34  Pleiades 3.7°N of Moon    14  12:55  Moon at Descending Node     14  19:02  Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.    15  01:40  Aldebaran 4.9°S of Moon    15  07:29  Venus 3.8°S of Moon    18  20:24  NEW MOON     21  12:52  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    24  14:07  Mars 4.2°N of Moon    25  08:43  Spica 1.2°N of Moon    25  11:29  Saturn 6.0°N of Moon    26  00:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  12     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  02:34  Moon at Ascending Node     28  12     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     28  12:21  Antares 5.2°S of Moon    29  00:30  Moon at Perigee: 367318 km    29  03:45  Jupiter 4.6°N of AldebaranAug 01  19:27  FULL MOON     02  05:36  Saturn 4.0°N of Spica    09  10:55  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  02:52  Moon at Apogee: 404125 km    10  10:12  Pleiades 3.9°N of Moon    10  16:04  Moon at Descending Node     11  09:25  Aldebaran 4.8°S of Moon    11  12:25  Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  04     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  11:41  Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.    13  14:45  Mars 1.6°N of Spica    15  02     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    15  10     Mars 2.7°S of Saturn    15  21:06  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    16  04     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W    17  07:55  NEW MOON     18  07:33  Mercury 2.1°S of Beehive    21  14:04  Spica 1.0°N of Moon    21  19:43  Saturn 5.5°N of Moon    21  23:50  Mars 2.3°N of Moon    23  11:39  Moon at Perigee: 369731 km    24  03     Neptune at Opposition     24  03:38  Moon at Ascending Node     24  05:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     24  18:02  Antares 5.4°S of Moon    24  20     Mercury at Perihelion     31  05:58  FULL MOON Sep 06  18:08  Moon at Descending Node     06  22:00  Moon at Apogee: 404296 km    07  17:23  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    08  02:59  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    08  05:15  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  05     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  09:09  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    13  00:52  Venus 2.6°S of Beehive    14  04:51  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    15  18:11  NEW MOON     17  21:05  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    18  06:45  Saturn 5.0°N of Moon    18  18:52  Moon at Perigee: 365749 km    19  12:36  Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    20  04:54  Moon at Ascending Node     20  23:30  Antares 5.6°S of Moon    22  06:49  Autumnal Equinox     22  11:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     28  23     Uranus at Opposition     29  19:19  FULL MOON Oct 01  02:56  Mercury 1.5°N of Spica    02  19:35  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    03  21:15  Moon at Descending Node     04  16:43  Moon at Apogee: 405162 km    05  00     Mercury 3.2°S of Saturn    05  00:58  Aldebaran 4.3°S of Moon    05  12:50  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    07  23:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     11  14:52  Regulus 6.0°N of Moon    12  11:10  Venus 6.3°N of Moon    15  04:02  NEW MOON     16  17:02  Moon at Perigee: 360673 km    16  17:43  Mercury 1.3°S of Moon    17  10:27  Moon at Ascending Node     18  05:06  Mars 2.0°S of Moon    18  06:50  Antares 5.8°S of Moon    20  12:07  Mars 3.5°N of Antares    20  20     Orionid Meteor Shower    21  19:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  00     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     26  14     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E    29  11:50  FULL MOON     31  02:36  Moon at Descending Node     31  10     Venus at Perihelion Nov 01  07:30  Moon at Apogee: 406050 km    01  07:49  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    01  16:58  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    04  21     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  06:32  Mercury 3.0°N of Antares    06  16:36  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  00:13  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    11  09:52  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    11  17:42  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    11  20     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  14:08  NEW MOON     13  14:12  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050    13  20:37  Moon at Ascending Node     14  02:21  Moon at Perigee: 357361 km    16  01:40  Mars 4.0°S of Moon    16  17:22  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    17  02     Leonid Meteor Shower    17  08     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     20  06:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  19     Mercury at Perihelion     26  21     Venus 0.5°S of Saturn    27  09:05  Moon at Descending Node     28  06:33  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.915    28  06:46  FULL MOON     28  11:35  Moon at Apogee: 406366 km    28  14:06  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  16:46  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.Dec 02  17     Jupiter at Opposition     04  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W    05  07:35  Regulus 6.1°N of Moon    06  07:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  01     Mercury 6.3°S of Venus    09  04:04  Spica 0.8°N of Moon    10  04:46  Saturn 4.0°N of Moon    11  05:48  Venus 1.6°N of Moon    11  07:57  Moon at Ascending Node     11  16:44  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon: Occn.    12  15:14  Moon at Perigee: 357074 km    12  21:18  Jupiter 4.7°N of Aldebaran    13  00:42  NEW MOON     13  15     Geminid Meteor Shower    18  01:57  Mercury 5.2°N of Antares    19  21:19  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  03:12  Winter Solstice     22  00     Ursid Meteor Shower    23  19:19  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    24  14:27  Moon at Descending Node     25  13:19  Moon at Apogee: 406101 km    25  16:02  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    25  20:23  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    28  02:21  FULL MOON     

 Terms Used in Astronomical Events Calendar 
  • Perihelion - instant when a planet is closest to the Sun
  • Aphelion - instant when a planet is furthest from the Sun
  • Perigee - instant when the Moon is closest to Earth
  • Apogee - instant when the Moon is furthest from Earth
  • Inferior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes between Earth and the Sun
  • Superior Conjunction - instant when a planet (Mercury or Venus) passes on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth 
  • Greatest Elongation - the maximum angular separation between the Sun and the planet (Mercury or Venus) as seen from Earth 
     - during eastern elongation (E), the planet appears as an evening star; 
     - during western elongation (W), the planet appears as a morning star
  • Opposition - instant when a planet appears opposite the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Conjunction - instant when a planet appears closest the Sun as seen from Earth
  • Occultation - the Moon occults or eclipses a star or planet
  • Ascending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the southern to northern portion of its orbit
  • Descending Node - point where the Moon crosses from the northern to the southern portion of its orbit

  • Aldebaran - bright star in the constellation Taurus
  • Pollux - bright star in the constellation Gemini
  • Regulus - bright star in the constellation Leo
  • Spica - bright star in the constellation Virgo
  • Antares - bright star in the constellation Scorpius
  • Pleiades - bright star cluster in the constellation Taurus
  • Beehive - bright star cluster in the constellation Cancer
Calendars of Astronomical Events: 2011 to 2020
The Americas
Below are links to calendars of astronomical events from 2011 to 2020 for seven time zones in the Americas. 
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a calendar of astronomical events for that year.
   Calendars of Astronomical Events - The Americas
   AST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   EST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   CST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   MST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   PST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   AKST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   HST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • AST = Atlantic Standard Time (= GMT - 4 hours)
        • EST = Eastern Standard Time (= GMT - 5 hours)
        • CST = Central Standard Time (= GMT - 6 hours)
        • MST = Mountain Standard Time (= GMT - 7 hours)
        • PST = Pacific Standard Time (= GMT - 8 hours)
        • AKST = Alaskan Standard Time (= GMT - 9 hours)
        • HST = Hawaiian Standard Time (= GMT - 10 hours)
           (where GMT = Greenwich Mean Time)
A time zone may have a different name in different countries. Note the difference in hours between a given time zone and Greenwich Mean Time to help in identification.
For other years and other time zones, visit: Calendars of Astronomical Events.
 
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
The goal of the Astronomical Events Calendars is to present a wide range of solar system phenomena with reasonable accuracy. In general, events listed to the nearest hour are accurate to ± 30 minutes.Events listed with a precision in hours and minutes (i.e., hh:mm) are typically accurate to ± 5 minutes or less.  
The following table gives a more detailed breakdown of the accuracy of times for various astronomical events.
Accuracy of the Astronomical Events Calendars
 Solstice/Equinox (Earth)  ± 0.5 minute 
 Aphelion/Perihelion (Earth)  ± 30 minutes;  ± 0.00001 AU 
 Solar and Lunar Eclipses   ± 0.5 minute 
 Phases of the Moon  ± 0.5 minute 
 Moon at Nodes  ± 2 minutes 
 Apogee/Perigee of Moon  ± 5 minutes; ± 5 kilometers 
 Conjunctions of Moon with Star or Planet  ± 10 minutes 
 Conjunctions of Planet with Planet  ± 3 hours 
 Inferior/Superior Conjunctions (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Greatest Elongation (Mercury & Venus)  ± 30 minutes 
 Opposition/Conjunction (Outer Planets)  ± 3 hours 
 Aphelion/Perihelion of Planets  ± 30 minutes 

Acknowledgements
All calculations are by Fred Espenak and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Algorithms used in predicting many of the astronomical events are based on Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus (Willmann-Bell Inc. Richmond 1998). 
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by the acknowledgment: 

Return to: Calendars of Astronomical Events
Return to: Planetary Ephemeris Data