2013Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2013Phases of the Moon
Gulf Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Gulf Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time + 4 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2013 Phases of the Moon   
      Gulf Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
--- Jan  5  07:58   
 Jan 11  23:44    Jan 19  03:45    Jan 27  08:38    Feb  3  17:56   
 Feb 10  11:20    Feb 18  00:31    Feb 26  00:26    Mar  5  01:53   
 Mar 11  23:51    Mar 19  21:27    Mar 27  13:27    Apr  3  08:37   
 Apr 10  13:35    Apr 18  16:31    Apr 25  23:57 p  May  2  15:14   
 May 10  04:29 A  May 18  08:35    May 25  08:25 n  May 31  22:58   
 Jun  8  19:56    Jun 16  21:24    Jun 23  15:32    Jun 30  08:54   
 Jul  8  11:14    Jul 16  07:18    Jul 22  22:15    Jul 29  21:43   
 Aug  7  01:51    Aug 14  14:56    Aug 21  05:45    Aug 28  13:35   
 Sep  5  15:36    Sep 12  21:08    Sep 19  15:13    Sep 27  07:56   
 Oct  5  04:35    Oct 12  03:02    Oct 19  03:38 n  Oct 27  03:41   
 Nov  3  16:50 H  Nov 10  09:57    Nov 17  19:16    Nov 25  23:28   
 Dec  3  04:22    Dec  9  19:12    Dec 17  13:28    Dec 25  17:48   
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
Gulf Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Gulf Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time + 4 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   
   Gulf Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     GST   Event        (h:m)Jan 02  01:13  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    02  09     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98329 AU    03  18     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  07     Mercury at Aphelion     05  07:58  LAST QUARTER MOON     05  23:54  Spica 0.6°N of Moon    07  05:28  Saturn 3.7°N of Moon    08  03:50  Moon at Ascending Node     09  02:55  Antares 5.9°S of Moon    10  14:26  Moon at Perigee: 360048 km    10  15:36  Venus 2.8°S of Moon    11  23:44  NEW MOON     18  13     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     19  03:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  05:19  Moon at Descending Node     22  06:57  Jupiter 0.5°N of Moon: Occn.    22  14:52  Moon at Apogee: 405313 km    22  15:13  Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon    24  13     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38149 AU    27  08:38  FULL MOON     29  06:57  Regulus 5.8°N of MoonFeb 02  05:25  Spica 0.3°N of Moon    03  13:55  Saturn 3.5°N of Moon    03  17:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     04  06:14  Moon at Ascending Node     05  10:39  Antares 6.1°S of Moon    07  16:09  Moon at Perigee: 365314 km    08  20     Mercury 0.3°N of Mars    10  11:20  NEW MOON     11  21:51  Mercury 5.2°S of Moon    17  01     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.1°E    17  06     Mercury at Perihelion     17  06:57  Moon at Descending Node     18  00:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  15:31  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    18  22:49  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    19  10:30  Moon at Apogee: 404475 km    21  06     Venus at Aphelion     21  11     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     25  14:18  Regulus 5.7°N of Moon    26  00:26  FULL MOON     26  02     Mercury 4.1°N of MarsMar 01  10:56  Spica 0.1°N of Moon    02  19:21  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    03  06:30  Moon at Ascending Node     04  16:11  Antares 6.4°S of Moon    04  17     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     05  01:53  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  03:20  Moon at Perigee: 369954 km    11  23:51  NEW MOON     16  10:15  Moon at Descending Node     18  05:16  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    18  05:24  Jupiter 5.0°N of Aldebaran    18  06:56  Aldebaran 3.5°S of Moon    19  07:13  Moon at Apogee: 404262 km    19  21:27  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  15:02  Vernal Equinox     24  23:17  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    27  13:27  FULL MOON     28  18:29  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    28  21     Venus at Superior Conjunction     29  04     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     30  00:18  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    30  09:55  Moon at Ascending Node     31  07:55  Moon at Perigee: 367494 kmApr 01  02     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°W    03  08:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  13:35  NEW MOON     12  16:12  Moon at Descending Node     14  14:51  Aldebaran 3.4°S of Moon    14  22:23  Jupiter 2.1°N of Moon    16  02:21  Moon at Apogee: 404865 km    18  04     Mars in Conjunction with Sun     18  16:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  08:44  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    22  15     Lyrid Meteor Shower    25  04:10  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    25  23:57  FULL MOON     26  00:07  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.015    26  06:28  Saturn 3.5°N of Moon    26  18:07  Moon at Ascending Node     27  23:48  Moon at Perigee: 362268 km    28  12     Saturn at Opposition May 02  15:14  LAST QUARTER MOON     05  04     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    09  23:12  Moon at Descending Node     10  04:25  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.954    10  04:29  NEW MOON     12  01     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     12  17:03  Jupiter 2.6°N of Moon    13  17:31  Moon at Apogee: 405827 km    16  06     Mercury at Perihelion     18  08:35  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  17:14  Regulus 5.9°N of Moon    22  14:35  Spica 0.0°N of Moon    23  13:55  Saturn 3.7°N of Moon    24  04:40  Moon at Ascending Node     25  01     Mercury 1.4°N of Venus    25  08:10  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.016    25  08:25  FULL MOON     25  15:45  Antares 6.6°S of Moon    26  05:45  Moon at Perigee: 358375 km    27  10     Mercury 2.4°N of Jupiter    28  21     Venus 1.0°N of Jupiter    31  22:58  LAST QUARTER MOON Jun 06  04:59  Moon at Descending Node     08  19:56  NEW MOON     10  01:40  Moon at Apogee: 406487 km    10  15:19  Venus 5.3°N of Moon    12  21     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.3°E    13  15     Venus at Perihelion     15  00:06  Regulus 5.8°N of Moon    16  21:24  FIRST QUARTER MOON     18  16:57  Mercury 6.1°S of Pollux    18  23:56  Spica 0.1°S of Moon    19  19     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     19  21:45  Saturn 3.6°N of Moon    20  11     Mercury 1.9°S of Venus    20  13:51  Moon at Ascending Node     21  09:04  Summer Solstice     22  08:49  Venus 5.1°S of Pollux    23  15:09  Moon at Perigee: 356990 km    23  15:32  FULL MOON     29  05     Mercury at Aphelion     30  08:54  LAST QUARTER MOON 
Date     GST   Event        (h:m)Jul 03  08:15  Moon at Descending Node     03  19:26  Venus 0.1°N of Beehive    05  10:09  Aldebaran 3.4°S of Moon    05  19     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01671 AU    07  04:36  Moon at Apogee: 406493 km    08  11:14  NEW MOON     09  23     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     12  05:45  Regulus 5.7°N of Moon    16  07:13  Spica 0.3°S of Moon    16  07:18  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  05:19  Saturn 3.3°N of Moon    17  18:58  Moon at Ascending Node     22  00:27  Moon at Perigee: 358402 km    22  09     Mars 0.8°N of Jupiter    22  13:30  Venus 1.0°N of Regulus    22  22:15  FULL MOON     28  06     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    28  23     Mercury 6.9°S of Mars    29  21:43  LAST QUARTER MOON     30  09:50  Moon at Descending Node     30  13     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.6°WAug 01  16:22  Aldebaran 3.2°S of Moon    03  12:53  Moon at Apogee: 405834 km    04  02:22  Jupiter 4.0°N of Moon    05  02:31  Mercury 7.3°S of Pollux    05  12:39  Mercury 4.4°N of Moon    07  01:51  NEW MOON     10  06:19  Venus 5.1°N of Moon    12  05     Mercury at Perihelion     12  12:46  Spica 0.6°S of Moon    12  22     Perseid Meteor Shower    13  12:51  Saturn 2.8°N of Moon    13  20:20  Moon at Ascending Node     14  14:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  21:03  Mars 5.8°S of Pollux    19  05:26  Moon at Perigee: 362265 km    21  05:45  FULL MOON     25  01     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     26  12:19  Moon at Descending Node     27  04     Neptune at Opposition     28  13:35  LAST QUARTER MOON     28  23:32  Aldebaran 2.9°S of Moon    31  03:46  Moon at Apogee: 404883 km    31  20:38  Jupiter 4.5°N of MoonSep 05  15:36  NEW MOON     06  04:37  Venus 1.5°N of Spica    08  14:00  Mars 0.5°S of Beehive    08  18:11  Spica 0.8°S of Moon    09  01:04  Venus 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    09  21:29  Moon at Ascending Node     09  21:29  Saturn 2.3°N of Moon    12  21:08  FIRST QUARTER MOON     15  20:34  Moon at Perigee: 367388 km    19  00     Venus 3.5°S of Saturn    19  15:13  FULL MOON     22  17:48  Moon at Descending Node     23  00:44  Autumnal Equinox     25  02:29  Mercury 0.7°N of Spica    25  07:39  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    27  07:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     27  22:17  Moon at Apogee: 404309 km    28  13:05  Jupiter 4.9°N of MoonOct 02  02:19  Regulus 5.6°N of Moon    03  17     Uranus at Opposition     03  23     Venus at Aphelion     05  04:35  NEW MOON     07  02:08  Moon at Ascending Node     07  02:28  Mercury 2.8°S of Moon    07  08:30  Saturn 1.9°N of Moon    08  16:07  Venus 4.7°S of Moon    08  17     Mercury 5.0°S of Saturn    09  14     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.3°E    11  03:06  Moon at Perigee: 369813 km    12  03:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     15  07:51  Mars 0.9°N of Regulus    16  22:26  Venus 1.5°N of Antares    19  03:38  FULL MOON     19  03:50  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.765    20  01:47  Moon at Descending Node     21  14     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  16:06  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    25  18:25  Moon at Apogee: 404561 km    26  01:55  Jupiter 5.1°N of Moon    27  03:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     29  11:17  Regulus 5.7°N of MoonNov 01  13     Venus at Greatest Elong: 47.1°E    02  00     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     03  10:52  Moon at Ascending Node     03  16:46  Hybrid Solar Eclipse; mag=1.016    03  16:50  NEW MOON     05  15     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  13:28  Moon at Perigee: 365362 km    06  15     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     08  04     Mercury at Perihelion     08  19:08  Jupiter 6.1°S of Pollux    10  09:57  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  14     N Taurid Meteor Shower    16  09:30  Moon at Descending Node     17  19:16  FULL MOON     17  20     Leonid Meteor Shower    18  06     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.5°W    19  00:00  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    22  09:21  Jupiter 5.1°N of Moon    22  13:50  Moon at Apogee: 405446 km    25  19:45  Regulus 5.6°N of Moon    25  23:28  LAST QUARTER MOON     26  09     Mercury 0.3°S of Saturn    27  20:10  Mars 5.7°N of Moon    29  20:43  Spica 0.9°S of Moon    30  20:59  Moon at Ascending Node Dec 01  14:13  Saturn 1.2°N of Moon: Occn.    03  04:22  NEW MOON     04  14:15  Moon at Perigee: 360065 km    09  19:12  FIRST QUARTER MOON     13  14:10  Moon at Descending Node     14  09     Geminid Meteor Shower    16  06:45  Aldebaran 2.7°S of Moon    17  13:28  FULL MOON     19  11:11  Jupiter 5.0°N of Moon    20  03:49  Moon at Apogee: 406269 km    21  21:11  Winter Solstice     22  04     Mercury at Aphelion     22  18     Ursid Meteor Shower    23  02:47  Regulus 5.4°N of Moon    25  17:48  LAST QUARTER MOON     26  06:45  Mars 4.6°N of Moon    27  06:10  Spica 1.0°S of Moon    28  04:21  Moon at Ascending Node     29  05:42  Saturn 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    29  10     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
Europe, Africa, and the Middle East
Below are links to calendars of astronomical events from 2011 to 2020 for five time zones 
in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. 
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a calendar of astronomical events for that year.
   Calendar of Astronomical Events - Europe, Africa, & Middle East
   GMT    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   CET    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   EET    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   MSK    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
   GST    2011     2012     2013     2014     2015     2016     2017     2018     2019     2020 
        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • GMT = Greenwich Mean Time 
        • CET = Central European Time (= GMT + 1 hour)
        • EET = Eastern European Time (= GMT + 2 hours)
        • MSK = Moscow Time (= GMT + 3 hours)
        • GST = Gulf Standard Time (= GMT + 4 hours)
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