2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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