2016Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2016Phases of the Moon
Central European Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Central European Time(Greenwich Mean Time + 1 hour).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2016 Phases of the Moon   
      Central European Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
--- Jan  2  06:30   
 Jan 10  02:30    Jan 17  00:26    Jan 24  02:46    Feb  1  04:28   
 Feb  8  15:39    Feb 15  08:46    Feb 22  19:20    Mar  2  00:11   
 Mar  9  02:54 T  Mar 15  18:03    Mar 23  13:01 n  Mar 31  16:17   
 Apr  7  12:24    Apr 14  04:59    Apr 22  06:24    Apr 30  04:29   
 May  6  20:30    May 13  18:02    May 21  22:15    May 29  13:12   
 Jun  5  04:00    Jun 12  09:10    Jun 20  12:02    Jun 27  19:19   
 Jul  4  12:01    Jul 12  01:52    Jul 19  23:57    Jul 27  00:00   
 Aug  2  21:45    Aug 10  19:21    Aug 18  10:27    Aug 25  04:41   
 Sep  1  10:03 A  Sep  9  12:49    Sep 16  20:05 n  Sep 23  10:56   
 Oct  1  01:12    Oct  9  05:33    Oct 16  05:23    Oct 22  20:14   
 Oct 30  18:38    Nov  7  20:51    Nov 14  14:52    Nov 21  09:33   
 Nov 29  13:18    Dec  7  10:03    Dec 14  01:06    Dec 21  02:56   
 Dec 29  07:53   ---
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.
2016Calendar of Astronomical Events
Central European Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Central European Time(Greenwich Mean Time + 1 hour).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2016Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Central European Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     CET   Event        (h:m)Jan 02  06:30  LAST QUARTER MOON     02  12:53  Moon at Apogee: 404279 km    03  00     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98330 AU    03  04:35  Spica 4.7°S of Moon    03  19:45  Mars 1.5°S of Moon    04  09     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    07  00:57  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    07  05:57  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    07  12:34  Venus 6.3°N of Antares    08  19     Mercury at Perihelion     09  09     Venus 0.1°N of Saturn    10  02:30  NEW MOON     14  15     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     14  16:48  Moon at Descending Node     15  03:10  Moon at Perigee: 369619 km    17  00:26  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  03:16  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    24  02:46  FULL MOON     26  06:10  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    28  00:58  Moon at Ascending Node     28  02:14  Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon    30  10:10  Moon at Apogee: 404553 km    30  12:35  Spica 5.0°S of MoonFeb 01  04:28  LAST QUARTER MOON     01  09:48  Mars 2.7°S of Moon    03  20:05  Saturn 3.5°S of Moon    06  08:32  Venus 4.3°S of Moon    06  17:47  Mercury 3.8°S of Moon    07  02     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.6°W    08  15:39  NEW MOON     10  21:46  Moon at Descending Node     11  03:42  Moon at Perigee: 364358 km    13  04     Mercury 4.0°N of Venus    15  08:46  FIRST QUARTER MOON     16  08:41  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    21  18     Mercury at Aphelion     22  13:48  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    22  19:20  FULL MOON     24  04:58  Jupiter 1.7°N of Moon    24  07:10  Moon at Ascending Node     26  20:05  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    27  04:28  Moon at Apogee: 405383 km    28  16     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     29  19:16  Mars 3.6°S of MoonMar 02  00:11  LAST QUARTER MOON     02  07:53  Saturn 3.6°S of Moon    07  11:54  Venus 3.5°S of Moon    08  11     Jupiter at Opposition     09  02:54  NEW MOON     09  02:57  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.045    09  07:31  Moon at Descending Node     10  08:02  Moon at Perigee: 359509 km    14  14:44  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    15  18:03  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  05:31  Vernal Equinox     20  15     Venus at Aphelion     20  20:05  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    22  04:57  Jupiter 2.1°N of Moon    22  13:59  Moon at Ascending Node     23  12:47  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.775    23  13:01  FULL MOON     23  21     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     25  02:50  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    25  15:16  Moon at Apogee: 406125 km    28  19:45  Mars 4.2°S of Moon    29  15:58  Saturn 3.5°S of Moon    31  16:17  LAST QUARTER MOON Apr 05  18     Mercury at Perihelion     05  18:27  Moon at Descending Node     06  09:30  Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.    07  12:24  NEW MOON     07  18:36  Moon at Perigee: 357164 km    08  11:35  Mercury 5.2°N of Moon    09  22     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     10  23:05  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    14  04:59  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  01:46  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    18  05:42  Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon    18  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.9°E    18  19:04  Moon at Ascending Node     21  08:59  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    21  17:05  Moon at Apogee: 406352 km    22  06:24  FULL MOON     22  06     Lyrid Meteor Shower    25  05:13  Mars 4.9°S of Moon    25  20:28  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    27  14:51  Mars 4.8°N of Antares    28  09:14  Mercury 3.0°S of Pleiades    30  04:29  LAST QUARTER MOON May 03  02:27  Moon at Descending Node     04  20     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    06  05:14  Moon at Perigee: 357828 km    06  20:30  NEW MOON     08  09:21  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    09  16     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     13  18:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     14  08:06  Regulus 2.3°N of Moon    15  10:30  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    15  21:39  Moon at Ascending Node     18  15:07  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    18  23:06  Moon at Apogee: 405934 km    21  22:15  FULL MOON     22  12     Mars at Opposition     22  22:59  Saturn 3.2°S of Moon    29  13:12  LAST QUARTER MOON     30  05:45  Moon at Descending Node Jun 03  07     Saturn at Opposition     03  10:47  Mercury 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    03  11:55  Moon at Perigee: 361142 km    05  04:00  NEW MOON     05  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.2°W    06  23     Venus at Superior Conjunction     10  15:47  Regulus 2.0°N of Moon    11  20:35  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    11  23:20  Moon at Ascending Node     12  09:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON     13  11:06  Mercury 6.4°S of Pleiades    14  21:47  Spica 5.3°S of Moon    15  13:00  Moon at Apogee: 405022 km    19  01:40  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    19  04:39  Mercury 3.7°N of Aldebaran    20  12:02  FULL MOON     20  23:35  Summer Solstice     26  06:28  Moon at Descending Node     27  19:19  LAST QUARTER MOON 
Date     CET   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  07:45  Moon at Perigee: 365983 km    02  04:58  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    02  17     Mercury at Perihelion     04  12:01  NEW MOON     04  17     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01675 AU    07  04     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     08  00:33  Regulus 1.8°N of Moon    09  02:41  Moon at Ascending Node     09  11:08  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    11  00     Venus at Perihelion     12  01:52  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  05:13  Spica 5.6°S of Moon    13  06:24  Moon at Apogee: 404272 km    16  06:11  Saturn 3.4°S of Moon    17  00     Mercury 0.5°N of Venus    19  23:57  FULL MOON     23  08:49  Moon at Descending Node     27  00:00  LAST QUARTER MOON     27  12:25  Moon at Perigee: 369659 km    27  22     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    29  11:53  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    30  16:55  Mercury 0.3°N of RegulusAug 02  21:45  NEW MOON     04  07:19  Venus 2.9°N of Moon    04  23:12  Mercury 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    05  08:48  Moon at Ascending Node     05  12:57  Venus 1.0°N of Regulus    06  04:28  Jupiter 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    08  13:08  Spica 5.8°S of Moon    10  01:05  Moon at Apogee: 404266 km    10  19:21  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  13:10  Saturn 3.7°S of Moon    12  13     Perseid Meteor Shower    15  17     Mercury at Aphelion     16  22     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.4°E    18  10:27  FULL MOON     19  15:14  Moon at Descending Node     20  07     Mercury 3.8°S of Jupiter    22  02:20  Moon at Perigee: 367047 km    24  06:09  Mars 1.8°N of Antares    25  02     Mars 4.3°S of Saturn    25  04:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     25  17:21  Aldebaran 0.2°S of Moon    27  23     Venus 0.1°N of Jupiter    28  21     Mercury 5.0°S of VenusSep 01  10:03  NEW MOON     01  10:07  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.974    01  16:27  Moon at Ascending Node     02  16     Neptune at Opposition     03  11:33  Venus 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    04  20:56  Spica 5.8°S of Moon    04  21:05  Saturn 5.9°N of Antares    06  19:44  Moon at Apogee: 405059 km    08  22:23  Saturn 3.8°S of Moon    09  12:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     13  01     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     16  00:55  Moon at Descending Node     16  19:54  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.908    16  20:05  FULL MOON     18  16:15  Venus 2.2°N of Spica    18  18:00  Moon at Perigee: 361894 km    21  23:13  Aldebaran 0.2°S of Moon    22  15:21  Autumnal Equinox     23  10:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     26  07     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     27  23:32  Regulus 1.7°N of Moon    28  16     Mercury at Perihelion     28  20     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 17.9°W    28  23:06  Moon at Ascending Node     29  11:42  Mercury 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.Oct 01  01:12  NEW MOON     03  18:30  Venus 5.0°S of Moon    04  12:02  Moon at Apogee: 406100 km    06  09:04  Saturn 3.8°S of Moon    09  05:33  FIRST QUARTER MOON     11  11     Mercury 0.8°N of Jupiter    13  10:43  Moon at Descending Node     15  11     Uranus at Opposition     16  05:23  FULL MOON     17  00:36  Moon at Perigee: 357860 km    19  07:18  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    21  06     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  20:14  LAST QUARTER MOON     25  05:01  Regulus 1.6°N of Moon    26  02:44  Moon at Ascending Node     26  11:56  Venus 3.0°N of Antares    27  17     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  10:33  Jupiter 1.4°S of Moon    29  14     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38124 AU    30  03     Venus 3.0°S of Saturn    30  18:38  NEW MOON     31  20:29  Moon at Apogee: 406660 kmNov 02  20:38  Saturn 3.7°S of Moon    05  06     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  13:07  Mars 5.3°S of Moon    07  20:51  FIRST QUARTER MOON     09  16:57  Moon at Descending Node     12  05     N Taurid Meteor Shower    14  12:23  Moon at Perigee: 356512 km    14  14:52  FULL MOON     15  17:50  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    17  12     Leonid Meteor Shower    19  18:51  Beehive 4.3°N of Moon    21  09:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     21  11:08  Regulus 1.3°N of Moon    22  03:48  Moon at Ascending Node     23  20     Mercury 3.4°S of Saturn    25  02:47  Jupiter 1.9°S of Moon    27  21:08  Moon at Apogee: 406556 km    29  13:18  NEW MOON Dec 03  13:34  Venus 5.8°S of Moon    05  11:39  Mars 2.9°S of Moon    06  18:35  Moon at Descending Node     07  10:03  FIRST QUARTER MOON     10  12     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     11  05     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.8°E    13  00:27  Moon at Perigee: 358463 km    13  05:14  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    14  01     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  01:06  FULL MOON     17  04:17  Beehive 4.1°N of Moon    18  19:13  Regulus 1.0°N of Moon    19  05:46  Moon at Ascending Node     21  02:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     21  11:45  Winter Solstice     22  09     Ursid Meteor Shower    22  17:37  Jupiter 2.4°S of Moon    25  06:55  Moon at Apogee: 405870 km    25  16     Mercury at Perihelion     28  20     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     29  07:53  NEW 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
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