2018Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2018Phases of the Moon
Atlantic Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Atlantic Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 4 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2018 Phases of the Moon   
      Atlantic Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
-- Jan  1  22:24    Jan  8  18:25   
 Jan 16  22:17    Jan 24  18:20    Jan 31  09:27 t  Feb  7  11:54   
 Feb 15  17:05 P  Feb 23  04:09    Mar  1  20:51    Mar  9  07:20   
 Mar 17  09:12    Mar 24  11:35    Mar 31  08:37    Apr  8  03:18   
 Apr 15  21:57    Apr 22  17:46    Apr 29  20:58    May  7  22:09   
 May 15  07:48    May 21  23:49    May 29  10:20    Jun  6  14:32   
 Jun 13  15:43    Jun 20  06:51    Jun 28  00:53    Jul  6  03:51   
 Jul 12  22:48 P  Jul 19  15:52    Jul 27  16:20 t  Aug  4  14:18   
 Aug 11  05:58 P  Aug 18  03:49    Aug 26  07:56    Sep  2  22:37   
 Sep  9  14:01    Sep 16  19:15    Sep 24  22:53    Oct  2  05:45   
 Oct  8  23:47    Oct 16  14:02    Oct 24  12:45    Oct 31  12:40   
 Nov  7  12:02    Nov 15  10:54    Nov 23  01:39    Nov 29  20:19   
 Dec  7  03:20    Dec 15  07:49    Dec 22  13:49    Dec 29  05:34   
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.
2018Calendar of Astronomical Events
Atlantic Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Atlantic 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.
   
      2018Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Atlantic Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     AST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 22.7°W    01  17:54  Moon at Perigee: 356566 km    01  22:24  FULL MOON     03  02     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98329 AU    03  15:50  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    03  16     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  03:48  Moon at Ascending Node     05  03:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    06  21     Mars 0.2°S of Jupiter    08  18:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  02     Venus at Superior Conjunction     11  01:59  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    11  06:03  Mars 4.6°S of Moon    13  04     Mercury 0.7°S of Saturn    14  22:10  Moon at Apogee: 406461 km    14  22:13  Saturn 2.6°S of Moon    15  03:24  Mercury 3.4°S of Moon    16  22:17  NEW MOON     18  10:28  Moon at Descending Node     23  13     Venus at Aphelion     24  18:20  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  07     Mercury at Aphelion     27  06:09  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    30  05:54  Moon at Perigee: 358995 km    31  03:19  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    31  09:27  FULL MOON     31  09:30  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.315    31  14:46  Moon at Ascending Node Feb 01  14:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    07  11:54  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  15:47  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    09  01:12  Mars 4.4°S of Moon    11  10:16  Moon at Apogee: 405701 km    11  10:46  Saturn 2.5°S of Moon    11  12:40  Mars 5.0°N of Antares    14  17:11  Moon at Descending Node     15  16:51  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.599    15  17:05  NEW MOON     17  08     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     23  04:09  FIRST QUARTER MOON     23  13:07  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    27  10:48  Moon at Perigee: 363938 km    27  13:28  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    28  01:03  Moon at Ascending Node Mar 01  01:09  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    01  20:51  FULL MOON     04  02     Mercury 1.1°N of Venus    04  10     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     07  02:57  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    09  07:20  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  20:37  Mars 3.8°S of Moon    10  07     Mercury at Perihelion     10  22:37  Saturn 2.2°S of Moon    11  05:13  Moon at Apogee: 404682 km    13  23:47  Moon at Descending Node     15  11     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.4°E    17  09:12  NEW MOON     18  15:07  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    19  04     Mercury 3.8°N of Venus    20  12:15  Vernal Equinox     22  18:33  Aldebaran 0.9°S of Moon    24  11:35  FIRST QUARTER MOON     26  13:17  Moon at Perigee: 369104 km    26  20:52  Beehive 2.2°N of Moon    27  06:56  Moon at Ascending Node     28  09:38  Regulus 1.0°S of Moon    31  08:37  FULL MOON Apr 01  14     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     02  15     Mars 1.3°S of Saturn    03  10:14  Jupiter 3.9°S of Moon    07  08:50  Saturn 1.9°S of Moon    07  14:15  Mars 3.1°S of Moon    08  01:32  Moon at Apogee: 404145 km    08  03:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  04:09  Moon at Descending Node     14  05:24  Mercury 3.9°N of Moon    15  21:57  NEW MOON     17  08     Saturn at Aphelion: 10.06564 AU    17  15:29  Venus 5.4°N of Moon    18  11     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     19  00:45  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    20  10:44  Moon at Perigee: 368713 km    22  14     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  17:46  FIRST QUARTER MOON     23  02:17  Beehive 1.9°N of Moon    23  08:19  Moon at Ascending Node     24  12:47  Venus 3.4°S of Pleiades    24  15:39  Regulus 1.2°S of Moon    29  14     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.0°W    29  20:58  FULL MOON     30  13:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of MoonMay 02  09:29  Venus 6.3°N of Aldebaran    04  16:31  Saturn 1.7°S of Moon    05  03     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    05  20:35  Moon at Apogee: 404458 km    06  03:24  Mars 2.7°S of Moon    07  06:23  Moon at Descending Node     07  22:09  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  20     Jupiter at Opposition     13  13:21  Mercury 2.4°N of Moon    15  07:48  NEW MOON     15  21     Venus at Perihelion     17  14:11  Venus 4.8°N of Moon    17  17:06  Moon at Perigee: 363777 km    20  07:57  Beehive 1.7°N of Moon    20  09:13  Moon at Ascending Node     21  20:53  Regulus 1.4°S of Moon    21  23:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  13:39  Jupiter 4.0°S of Moon    29  10:20  FULL MOON     31  21:20  Saturn 1.6°S of MoonJun 02  12:34  Moon at Apogee: 405316 km    03  07:58  Mars 3.2°S of Moon    03  08:39  Moon at Descending Node     05  22     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     06  06     Mercury at Perihelion     06  14:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  23:37  Venus 4.6°S of Pollux    13  15:43  NEW MOON     14  19:55  Moon at Perigee: 359507 km    16  09:13  Venus 2.3°N of Moon    16  13:50  Moon at Ascending Node     16  15:38  Beehive 1.5°N of Moon    18  03:25  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    19  22:21  Venus 0.4°N of Beehive    20  06:51  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  06:07  Summer Solstice     23  14:47  Jupiter 4.2°S of Moon    24  17:37  Mercury 4.7°S of Pollux    27  08     Saturn at Opposition     27  23:59  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    28  00:53  FULL MOON     29  22:43  Moon at Apogee: 406061 km    30  12:44  Moon at Descending Node     30  21:43  Mars 4.8°S of Moon
Date     AST   Event        (h:m)Jul 04  01:39  Mercury 0.6°S of Beehive    06  03:51  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  13     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01670 AU    09  19:34  Venus 0.9°N of Regulus    10  05:30  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    12  01     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 26.4°E    12  22:48  NEW MOON     12  23:01  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.337    13  04:28  Moon at Perigee: 357432 km    13  22:50  Moon at Ascending Node     14  18:04  Mercury 2.2°S of Moon    15  12:14  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    15  23:31  Venus 1.6°S of Moon    19  15:52  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  06     Mercury at Aphelion     20  19:57  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    24  12:49  Mercury 1.2°S of Regulus    25  02:10  Saturn 2.0°S of Moon    27  02     Mars at Opposition     27  01:44  Moon at Apogee: 406223 km    27  16:20  FULL MOON     27  16:22  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.609    27  18:40  Moon at Descending Node     28  05     Delta-Aquarid Meteor ShowerAug 04  14:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  14:35  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    08  22     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     10  09:40  Moon at Ascending Node     10  14:05  Moon at Perigee: 358083 km    11  05:46  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.737    11  05:58  NEW MOON     12  21     Perseid Meteor Shower    14  09:35  Venus 6.3°S of Moon    17  06:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    17  12     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.9°E    18  03:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  22:09  Mercury 4.8°S of Beehive    21  05:55  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    23  07:23  Moon at Apogee: 405744 km    24  00:51  Moon at Descending Node     26  07:56  FULL MOON     26  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.3°WSep 01  00:45  Venus 1.0°S of Spica    02  06     Mercury at Perihelion     02  21:34  Aldebaran 1.2°S of Moon    02  22:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  18:42  Moon at Ascending Node     06  22:13  Beehive 1.4°N of Moon    07  13     Neptune at Opposition     07  21:21  Moon at Perigee: 361355 km    09  14:01  NEW MOON     13  22:21  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    16  09     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38144 AU    16  19:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  12:46  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    19  20:54  Moon at Apogee: 404875 km    20  02:38  Mars 4.8°S of Moon    20  05:30  Moon at Descending Node     20  22     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     22  21:54  Autumnal Equinox     24  22:52  FULL MOON     30  03:06  Aldebaran 1.4°S of MoonOct 02  05:45  LAST QUARTER MOON     03  23:10  Moon at Ascending Node     04  05:51  Beehive 1.3°N of Moon    05  17:58  Regulus 1.8°S of Moon    05  18:29  Moon at Perigee: 366396 km    08  23:47  NEW MOON     11  17:21  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    14  23:01  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    15  23     Mercury 6.2°N of Venus    16  14:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  08:03  Moon at Descending Node     17  15:16  Moon at Apogee: 404227 km    18  09:01  Mars 1.9°S of Moon    21  13     Orionid Meteor Shower    23  21     Uranus at Opposition     24  12:45  FULL MOON     26  10     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     27  09:04  Aldebaran 1.6°S of Moon    29  02     Mercury 3.1°S of Jupiter    30  23:46  Moon at Ascending Node     31  11:24  Beehive 1.0°N of Moon    31  12:40  LAST QUARTER MOON     31  16:05  Moon at Perigee: 370201 kmNov 02  00:16  Regulus 2.1°S of Moon    05  14     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  11     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.3°E    07  12:02  NEW MOON     09  00:58  Mercury 1.8°N of Antares    11  11:46  Saturn 1.4°S of Moon    12  13     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  10:04  Moon at Descending Node     14  11:57  Moon at Apogee: 404341 km    14  19:14  Venus 0.2°S of Spica    15  10:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     16  00:16  Mars 1.0°N of Moon: Occn.    17  19     Leonid Meteor Shower    23  01:39  FULL MOON     23  17:11  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    26  02     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     26  08:10  Moon at Perigee: 366623 km    27  01:18  Moon at Ascending Node     27  05     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     27  16:57  Beehive 0.8°N of Moon    29  05     Mercury at Perihelion     29  05:27  Regulus 2.3°S of Moon    29  20:19  LAST QUARTER MOON Dec 03  14:42  Venus 3.6°S of Moon    05  17:06  Mercury 1.9°S of Moon    07  03:20  NEW MOON     09  01:30  Saturn 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    10  13:57  Moon at Descending Node     12  08:25  Moon at Apogee: 405177 km    14  08     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  19:21  Mars 3.6°N of Moon    15  07     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 21.3°W    15  07:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  03:31  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    21  16     Mercury 0.8°N of Jupiter    21  18:22  Winter Solstice     22  04:05  Mercury 5.8°N of Antares    22  11:03  Jupiter 5.1°N of Antares    22  13:49  FULL MOON     22  17     Ursid Meteor Shower    24  05:52  Moon at Perigee: 361060 km    24  07:54  Moon at Ascending Node     25  00:52  Beehive 0.6°N of Moon    26  12:06  Regulus 2.5°S of Moon    26  14     Venus at Perihelion     29  05:34  LAST QUARTER 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