2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2020Phases of the Moon
Alaska Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Alaska Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 9 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2020 Phases of the Moon   
      Alaska Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Jan  2  19:45    Jan 10  10:21 n  Jan 17  03:58   
 Jan 24  12:42    Feb  1  16:42    Feb  8  22:33    Feb 15  13:17   
 Feb 23  06:32    Mar  2  10:57    Mar  9  08:48    Mar 16  00:34   
 Mar 24  00:28    Apr  1  01:21    Apr  7  17:35    Apr 14  13:56   
 Apr 22  17:26    Apr 30  11:38    May  7  01:45    May 14  05:03   
 May 22  08:39    May 29  18:30    Jun  5  10:12 n  Jun 12  21:24   
 Jun 20  21:41 A  Jun 27  23:16    Jul  4  19:44 n  Jul 12  14:29   
 Jul 20  08:33    Jul 27  03:32    Aug  3  06:59    Aug 11  07:45   
 Aug 18  17:41    Aug 25  08:58    Sep  1  20:22    Sep 10  00:26   
 Sep 17  02:00    Sep 23  16:55    Oct  1  12:05    Oct  9  15:39   
 Oct 16  10:31    Oct 23  04:23    Oct 31  05:49    Nov  8  04:46   
 Nov 14  20:07    Nov 21  19:45    Nov 30  00:30 n  Dec  7  15:37   
 Dec 14  07:17 T  Dec 21  14:41    Dec 29  18:28   -
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.
2020Calendar of Astronomical Events
Alaska Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Alaska Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 9 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2020Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Alaska Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     AKST   Even        (h:m)Jan 01  16:30  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    02  19:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     04  00     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  23     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98324 AU    07  12:09  Aldebaran 3.0°S of Moon    09  14:29  Moon at Ascending Node     10  06     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     10  10:10  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.896    10  10:21  FULL MOON     10  17:26  Pollux 5.3°N of Moon    11  14:54  Beehive 1.0°S of Moon    13  02:37  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    13  05     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     13  11:20  Moon at Perigee: 365964 km    17  03:58  LAST QUARTER MOON     17  14:03  Mars 4.7°N of Antares    20  10:13  Mars 2.3°S of Moon    22  11:31  Moon at Descending Node     22  17:42  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    24  12:42  NEW MOON     27  22:29  Venus 4.1°N of Moon    29  12:28  Moon at Apogee: 405390 kmFeb 01  16:42  FIRST QUARTER MOON     03  21:53  Aldebaran 3.1°S of Moon    05  23:59  Moon at Ascending Node     07  03:58  Pollux 5.3°N of Moon    08  01:16  Beehive 1.0°S of Moon    08  22:33  FULL MOON     09  12:15  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    10  05     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    10  11:31  Moon at Perigee: 360464 km    11  20     Mercury at Perihelion     15  13:17  LAST QUARTER MOON     18  04:18  Mars 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.    18  15:12  Moon at Descending Node     19  10:36  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    20  04:47  Saturn 1.7°N of Moon    23  06:32  NEW MOON     25  17     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     26  02:35  Moon at Apogee: 406277 kmMar 02  06:16  Aldebaran 3.3°S of Moon    02  10:57  FIRST QUARTER MOON     04  05:58  Moon at Ascending Node     05  14:26  Pollux 5.2°N of Moon    06  12:08  Beehive 1.1°S of Moon    07  23:23  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    08  03     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     09  08:48  FULL MOON     09  21:33  Moon at Perigee: 357123 km    16  00:34  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  16:00  Moon at Descending Node     17  23:19  Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    18  01:18  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    18  15:04  Saturn 2.1°N of Moon    19  18:50  Vernal Equinox     19  19     Venus at Perihelion     20  01     Mars 0.7°S of Jupiter    21  08:48  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    23  17     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°W    24  00:28  NEW MOON     24  06:23  Moon at Apogee: 406690 km    24  13     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.1°E    26  20     Mercury at Aphelion     29  12:52  Aldebaran 3.6°S of Moon    31  07:51  Moon at Ascending Node     31  11     Mars 0.9°S of SaturnApr 01  01:21  FIRST QUARTER MOON     01  22:59  Pollux 4.9°N of Moon    02  21:25  Beehive 1.3°S of Moon    03  05:36  Venus 0.3°S of Pleiades    04  09:45  Regulus 3.9°S of Moon    07  09:08  Moon at Perigee: 356909 km    07  17:35  FULL MOON     12  17:58  Moon at Descending Node     14  13:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  14:04  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    15  00:26  Saturn 2.5°N of Moon    15  19:33  Mars 2.0°N of Moon    20  10:01  Moon at Apogee: 406463 km    21  21     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  17:26  NEW MOON     25  18:34  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    26  01     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     27  08:54  Moon at Ascending Node     29  05:19  Pollux 4.7°N of Moon    30  04:18  Beehive 1.6°S of Moon    30  11:38  FIRST QUARTER MOON May 01  17:49  Regulus 4.2°S of Moon    04  10     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    04  12     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     05  18:03  Moon at Perigee: 359656 km    07  01:45  FULL MOON     08  12:40  Antares 6.5°S of Moon    09  19     Mercury at Perihelion     10  00:01  Moon at Descending Node     12  00:40  Jupiter 2.3°N of Moon    12  09:18  Saturn 2.7°N of Moon    14  05:03  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  17:00  Mars 2.8°N of Moon    17  17     Jupiter 4.8°S of Saturn    17  22:45  Moon at Apogee: 405584 km    22  01     Mercury 0.9°S of Venus    22  08:39  NEW MOON     23  17:40  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    24  01:53  Mercury 2.8°N of Moon    24  12:34  Moon at Ascending Node     26  10:43  Pollux 4.6°N of Moon    27  09:44  Beehive 1.7°S of Moon    28  23:44  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    29  18:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON Jun 02  18:36  Moon at Perigee: 364366 km    03  09     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     04  04     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.6°E    05  10:12  FULL MOON     05  10:25  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.568    06  09:10  Moon at Descending Node     08  08:19  Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon    08  17:19  Saturn 2.7°N of Moon    12  14:53  Mars 2.7°N of Moon    12  21:24  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  15:56  Moon at Apogee: 404597 km    18  23:52  Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.    20  12:43  Summer Solstice     20  19:24  Moon at Ascending Node     20  21:40  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.994    20  21:41  NEW MOON     22  16:53  Pollux 4.5°N of Moon    23  15:33  Beehive 1.7°S of Moon    25  05:09  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    27  23:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  17:09  Moon at Perigee: 368958 km    30  18     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction 
Date     AKST   Even        (h:m)Jul 03  18:18  Moon at Descending Node     04  04     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01669 AU    04  19:30  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.355    04  19:44  FULL MOON     05  12:37  Jupiter 1.9°N of Moon    05  23:45  Saturn 2.5°N of Moon    10  03     Venus at Aphelion     11  03:10  Venus 1.0°N of Aldebaran    11  10:36  Mars 2.0°N of Moon    12  10:27  Moon at Apogee: 404201 km    12  14:29  LAST QUARTER MOON     13  22     Jupiter at Opposition     16  16:21  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    16  22:26  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    18  03:33  Moon at Ascending Node     18  18:54  Mercury 3.9°S of Moon    20  08:33  NEW MOON     20  13     Saturn at Opposition     22  06     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.1°W    22  11:50  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    24  19:54  Moon at Perigee: 368367 km    27  03:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  12     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    31  00:32  Moon at Descending Node Aug 01  11:14  Mercury 6.6°S of Pollux    01  14:30  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    02  04:17  Saturn 2.3°N of Moon    03  00     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38138 AU    03  06:59  FULL MOON     05  19     Mercury at Perihelion     08  22:57  Mars 0.8°N of Moon: Occn.    09  04:51  Moon at Apogee: 404658 km    11  07:45  LAST QUARTER MOON     12  04     Perseid Meteor Shower    12  16     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    13  01:06  Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon    14  10:22  Moon at Ascending Node     15  04:01  Venus 4.0°S of Moon    16  10:10  Pollux 4.5°N of Moon    17  06     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     18  17:41  NEW MOON     21  01:59  Moon at Perigee: 363513 km    25  08:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  19:04  Antares 6.2°S of Moon    27  02:52  Moon at Descending Node     28  16:33  Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon    29  07:40  Saturn 2.2°N of MoonSep 01  20:22  FULL MOON     05  19:42  Mars 0.0°S of Moon: Occn.    05  21:31  Moon at Apogee: 405606 km    09  09:12  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    10  00:26  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  14:05  Moon at Ascending Node     11  10     Neptune at Opposition     12  15:10  Venus 2.5°S of Beehive    12  19:50  Pollux 4.3°N of Moon    13  18:19  Beehive 1.8°S of Moon    13  19:43  Venus 4.5°S of Moon    15  06:51  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    17  02:00  NEW MOON     18  04:44  Moon at Perigee: 359081 km    18  18     Mercury at Aphelion     21  21:06  Mercury 0.3°N of Spica    22  01:27  Antares 6.0°S of Moon    22  04:31  Autumnal Equinox     23  03:33  Moon at Descending Node     23  16:55  FIRST QUARTER MOON     24  21:46  Jupiter 1.6°N of Moon    25  11:46  Saturn 2.3°N of MoonOct 01  07     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.8°E    01  12:05  FULL MOON     02  08:09  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    02  18:21  Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    03  08:22  Moon at Apogee: 406321 km    06  16:02  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    07  15:29  Moon at Ascending Node     09  15:39  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  04:18  Pollux 4.1°N of Moon    11  03:27  Beehive 2.1°S of Moon    12  16:59  Regulus 4.5°S of Moon    13  14     Mars at Opposition     13  14:57  Venus 4.3°S of Moon    16  10:31  NEW MOON     16  14:46  Moon at Perigee: 356913 km    19  10:12  Antares 5.7°S of Moon    20  06:53  Moon at Descending Node     20  20     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  08:10  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    22  18:49  Saturn 2.6°N of Moon    23  04:23  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  09     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     29  07:13  Mars 3.0°N of Moon    30  09:46  Moon at Apogee: 406393 km    30  12     Venus at Perihelion     31  05:49  FULL MOON     31  07     Uranus at Opposition Nov 01  18     Mercury at Perihelion     02  21:58  Aldebaran 4.6°S of Moon    03  17:39  Moon at Ascending Node     04  21     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  10:52  Pollux 3.9°N of Moon    07  10:34  Beehive 2.3°S of Moon    08  04:46  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  01:20  Regulus 4.7°S of Moon    10  08     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.1°W    11  20     N Taurid Meteor Shower    12  12:30  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    13  11:45  Mercury 1.7°S of Moon    14  02:48  Moon at Perigee: 357839 km    14  20:07  NEW MOON     16  04:27  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    16  15:07  Moon at Descending Node     17  02     Leonid Meteor Shower    18  23:54  Jupiter 2.5°N of Moon    19  05:57  Saturn 2.9°N of Moon    21  19:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  10:45  Mars 4.9°N of Moon    26  15:29  Moon at Apogee: 405891 km    30  00:30  FULL MOON     30  00:43  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.829    30  04:07  Aldebaran 4.6°S of Moon    30  22:46  Moon at Ascending Node Dec 03  16:24  Pollux 3.8°N of Moon    04  16:10  Beehive 2.4°S of Moon    06  07:28  Regulus 4.8°S of Moon    07  15:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     12  11:40  Venus 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.    12  11:42  Moon at Perigee: 361777 km    13  16     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  02:03  Moon at Descending Node     14  07:13  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.025    14  07:17  NEW MOON     16  19:28  Jupiter 2.9°N of Moon    16  20:25  Saturn 3.1°N of Moon    19  18     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     21  01:03  Winter Solstice     21  14:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     22  00     Ursid Meteor Shower    22  00     Jupiter 0.1°S of Saturn    23  05:48  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    23  09:30  Mars 5.6°N of Moon    24  07:32  Moon at Apogee: 405010 km    27  11:20  Aldebaran 4.6°S of Moon    28  06:03  Moon at Ascending Node     29  18:28  FULL MOON     30  22:41  Pollux 3.8°N of 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