2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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