2013Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2013Phases of the Moon
Central Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Central Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 6 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2013 Phases of the Moon   
      Central Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
--- Jan  4  21:58   
 Jan 11  13:44    Jan 18  17:45    Jan 26  22:38    Feb  3  07:56   
 Feb 10  01:20    Feb 17  14:31    Feb 25  14:26    Mar  4  15:53   
 Mar 11  13:51    Mar 19  11:27    Mar 27  03:27    Apr  2  22:37   
 Apr 10  03:35    Apr 18  06:31    Apr 25  13:57 p  May  2  05:14   
 May  9  18:29 A  May 17  22:35    May 24  22:25 n  May 31  12:58   
 Jun  8  09:56    Jun 16  11:24    Jun 23  05:32    Jun 29  22:54   
 Jul  8  01:14    Jul 15  21:18    Jul 22  12:15    Jul 29  11:43   
 Aug  6  15:51    Aug 14  04:56    Aug 20  19:45    Aug 28  03:35   
 Sep  5  05:36    Sep 12  11:08    Sep 19  05:13    Sep 26  21:56   
 Oct  4  18:35    Oct 11  17:02    Oct 18  17:38 n  Oct 26  17:41   
 Nov  3  06:50 H  Nov  9  23:57    Nov 17  09:16    Nov 25  13:28   
 Dec  2  18:22    Dec  9  09:12    Dec 17  03:28    Dec 25  07:48   
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.
2013Calendar of Astronomical Events
Central Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Central Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 6 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2013Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Central Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     CST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  15:13  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    01  23     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98329 AU    03  08     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    03  21     Mercury at Aphelion     04  21:58  LAST QUARTER MOON     05  13:54  Spica 0.6°N of Moon    06  19:28  Saturn 3.7°N of Moon    07  17:50  Moon at Ascending Node     08  16:55  Antares 5.9°S of Moon    10  04:26  Moon at Perigee: 360048 km    10  05:36  Venus 2.8°S of Moon    11  13:44  NEW MOON     18  03     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     18  17:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  19:19  Moon at Descending Node     21  20:57  Jupiter 0.5°N of Moon: Occn.    22  04:52  Moon at Apogee: 405313 km    22  05:13  Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon    24  03     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38149 AU    26  22:38  FULL MOON     28  20:57  Regulus 5.8°N of MoonFeb 01  19:25  Spica 0.3°N of Moon    03  03:55  Saturn 3.5°N of Moon    03  07:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     03  20:14  Moon at Ascending Node     05  00:39  Antares 6.1°S of Moon    07  06:09  Moon at Perigee: 365314 km    08  10     Mercury 0.3°N of Mars    10  01:20  NEW MOON     11  11:51  Mercury 5.2°S of Moon    16  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.1°E    16  20     Mercury at Perihelion     16  20:57  Moon at Descending Node     17  14:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  05:31  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    18  12:49  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    19  00:30  Moon at Apogee: 404475 km    20  20     Venus at Aphelion     21  01     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     25  04:18  Regulus 5.7°N of Moon    25  14:26  FULL MOON     25  16     Mercury 4.1°N of MarsMar 01  00:56  Spica 0.1°N of Moon    02  09:21  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    02  20:30  Moon at Ascending Node     04  06:11  Antares 6.4°S of Moon    04  07     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     04  15:53  LAST QUARTER MOON     05  17:20  Moon at Perigee: 369954 km    11  13:51  NEW MOON     16  00:15  Moon at Descending Node     17  19:16  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    17  19:24  Jupiter 5.0°N of Aldebaran    17  20:56  Aldebaran 3.5°S of Moon    18  21:13  Moon at Apogee: 404262 km    19  11:27  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  05:02  Vernal Equinox     24  13:17  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    27  03:27  FULL MOON     28  08:29  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    28  11     Venus at Superior Conjunction     28  18     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     29  14:18  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    29  23:55  Moon at Ascending Node     30  21:55  Moon at Perigee: 367494 km    31  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°WApr 02  22:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  03:35  NEW MOON     12  06:12  Moon at Descending Node     14  04:51  Aldebaran 3.4°S of Moon    14  12:23  Jupiter 2.1°N of Moon    15  16:21  Moon at Apogee: 404865 km    17  18     Mars in Conjunction with Sun     18  06:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  22:44  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    22  05     Lyrid Meteor Shower    24  18:10  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    25  13:57  FULL MOON     25  14:07  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.015    25  20:28  Saturn 3.5°N of Moon    26  08:07  Moon at Ascending Node     27  13:48  Moon at Perigee: 362268 km    28  02     Saturn at Opposition May 02  05:14  LAST QUARTER MOON     04  18     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    09  13:12  Moon at Descending Node     09  18:25  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.954    09  18:29  NEW MOON     11  15     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  07:03  Jupiter 2.6°N of Moon    13  07:31  Moon at Apogee: 405827 km    15  20     Mercury at Perihelion     17  22:35  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  07:14  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    22  04:35  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    23  03:55  Saturn 3.7°N of Moon    23  18:40  Moon at Ascending Node     24  15     Mercury 1.4°N of Venus    24  22:10  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.016    24  22:25  FULL MOON     25  05:45  Antares 6.6°S of Moon    25  19:45  Moon at Perigee: 358375 km    27  00     Mercury 2.4°N of Jupiter    28  11     Venus 1.0°N of Jupiter    31  12:58  LAST QUARTER MOON Jun 05  18:59  Moon at Descending Node     08  09:56  NEW MOON     09  15:40  Moon at Apogee: 406487 km    10  05:19  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    12  11     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.3°E    13  05     Venus at Perihelion     14  14:06  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    16  11:24  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  06:57  Mercury 6.1°S of Pollux    18  13:56  Spica 0.1°S of Moon    19  09     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  11:45  Saturn 3.6°N of Moon    20  01     Mercury 1.9°S of Venus    20  03:51  Moon at Ascending Node     20  23:04  Summer Solstice     21  22:49  Venus 5.1°S of Pollux    23  05:09  Moon at Perigee: 356990 km    23  05:32  FULL MOON     28  19     Mercury at Aphelion     29  22:54  LAST QUARTER MOON 
Date     CST   Event        (h:m)Jul 02  22:15  Moon at Descending Node     03  09:26  Venus 0.1°N of Beehive    05  00:09  Aldebaran 3.4°S of Moon    05  09     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01671 AU    06  18:36  Moon at Apogee: 406493 km    08  01:14  NEW MOON     09  13     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     11  19:45  Regulus 5.7°N of Moon    15  21:13  Spica 0.3°S of Moon    15  21:18  FIRST QUARTER MOON     16  19:19  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    17  08:58  Moon at Ascending Node     21  14:27  Moon at Perigee: 358402 km    21  23     Mars 0.8°N of Jupiter    22  03:30  Venus 1.0°N of Regulus    22  12:15  FULL MOON     27  20     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  13     Mercury 6.9°S of Mars    29  11:43  LAST QUARTER MOON     29  23:50  Moon at Descending Node     30  03     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.6°WAug 01  06:22  Aldebaran 3.2°S of Moon    03  02:53  Moon at Apogee: 405834 km    03  16:22  Jupiter 4.0°N of Moon    04  16:31  Mercury 7.3°S of Pollux    05  02:39  Mercury 4.4°N of Moon    06  15:51  NEW MOON     09  20:19  Venus 5.1°N of Moon    11  19     Mercury at Perihelion     12  02:46  Spica 0.6°S of Moon    12  12     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  02:51  Saturn 2.8°N of Moon    13  10:20  Moon at Ascending Node     14  04:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  11:03  Mars 5.8°S of Pollux    18  19:26  Moon at Perigee: 362265 km    20  19:45  FULL MOON     24  15     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     26  02:19  Moon at Descending Node     26  18     Neptune at Opposition     28  03:35  LAST QUARTER MOON     28  13:32  Aldebaran 2.9°S of Moon    30  17:46  Moon at Apogee: 404883 km    31  10:38  Jupiter 4.5°N of MoonSep 05  05:36  NEW MOON     05  18:37  Venus 1.5°N of Spica    08  04:00  Mars 0.5°S of Beehive    08  08:11  Spica 0.8°S of Moon    08  15:04  Venus 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    09  11:29  Moon at Ascending Node     09  11:29  Saturn 2.3°N of Moon    12  11:08  FIRST QUARTER MOON     15  10:34  Moon at Perigee: 367388 km    18  14     Venus 3.5°S of Saturn    19  05:13  FULL MOON     22  07:48  Moon at Descending Node     22  14:44  Autumnal Equinox     24  16:29  Mercury 0.7°N of Spica    24  21:39  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    26  21:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     27  12:17  Moon at Apogee: 404309 km    28  03:05  Jupiter 4.9°N of MoonOct 01  16:19  Regulus 5.6°N of Moon    03  07     Uranus at Opposition     03  13     Venus at Aphelion     04  18:35  NEW MOON     06  16:08  Moon at Ascending Node     06  16:28  Mercury 2.8°S of Moon    06  22:30  Saturn 1.9°N of Moon    08  06:07  Venus 4.7°S of Moon    08  07     Mercury 5.0°S of Saturn    09  04     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.3°E    10  17:06  Moon at Perigee: 369813 km    11  17:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     14  21:51  Mars 0.9°N of Regulus    16  12:26  Venus 1.5°N of Antares    18  17:38  FULL MOON     18  17:50  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.765    19  15:47  Moon at Descending Node     21  04     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  06:06  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    25  08:25  Moon at Apogee: 404561 km    25  15:55  Jupiter 5.1°N of Moon    26  17:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     29  01:17  Regulus 5.7°N of MoonNov 01  03     Venus at Greatest Elong: 47.1°E    01  14     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     03  00:52  Moon at Ascending Node     03  06:46  Hybrid Solar Eclipse; mag=1.016    03  06:50  NEW MOON     05  05     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  03:28  Moon at Perigee: 365362 km    06  05     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     07  18     Mercury at Perihelion     08  09:08  Jupiter 6.1°S of Pollux    09  23:57  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  04     N Taurid Meteor Shower    15  23:30  Moon at Descending Node     17  09:16  FULL MOON     17  10     Leonid Meteor Shower    17  20     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.5°W    18  14:00  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    21  23:21  Jupiter 5.1°N of Moon    22  03:50  Moon at Apogee: 405446 km    25  09:45  Regulus 5.6°N of Moon    25  13:28  LAST QUARTER MOON     25  23     Mercury 0.3°S of Saturn    27  10:10  Mars 5.7°N of Moon    29  10:43  Spica 0.9°S of Moon    30  10:59  Moon at Ascending Node Dec 01  04:13  Saturn 1.2°N of Moon: Occn.    02  18:22  NEW MOON     04  04:15  Moon at Perigee: 360065 km    09  09:12  FIRST QUARTER MOON     13  04:10  Moon at Descending Node     13  23     Geminid Meteor Shower    15  20:45  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    17  03:28  FULL MOON     19  01:11  Jupiter 5.0°N of Moon    19  17:49  Moon at Apogee: 406269 km    21  11:11  Winter Solstice     21  18     Mercury at Aphelion     22  08     Ursid Meteor Shower    22  16:47  Regulus 5.4°N of Moon    25  07:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     25  20:45  Mars 4.6°N of Moon    26  20:10  Spica 1.0°S of Moon    27  18:21  Moon at Ascending Node     28  19:42  Saturn 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    29  00     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     

 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