2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2020Phases of the Moon
Central Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Central Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 6 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2020 Phases of the Moon   
      Central Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
- Jan  2  22:45    Jan 10  13:21 n  Jan 17  06:58   
 Jan 24  15:42    Feb  1  19:42    Feb  9  01:33    Feb 15  16:17   
 Feb 23  09:32    Mar  2  13:57    Mar  9  11:48    Mar 16  03:34   
 Mar 24  03:28    Apr  1  04:21    Apr  7  20:35    Apr 14  16:56   
 Apr 22  20:26    Apr 30  14:38    May  7  04:45    May 14  08:03   
 May 22  11:39    May 29  21:30    Jun  5  13:12 n  Jun 13  00:24   
 Jun 21  00:41 A  Jun 28  02:16    Jul  4  22:44 n  Jul 12  17:29   
 Jul 20  11:33    Jul 27  06:32    Aug  3  09:59    Aug 11  10:45   
 Aug 18  20:41    Aug 25  11:58    Sep  1  23:22    Sep 10  03:26   
 Sep 17  05:00    Sep 23  19:55    Oct  1  15:05    Oct  9  18:39   
 Oct 16  13:31    Oct 23  07:23    Oct 31  08:49    Nov  8  07:46   
 Nov 14  23:07    Nov 21  22:45    Nov 30  03:30 n  Dec  7  18:37   
 Dec 14  10:17 T  Dec 21  17:41    Dec 29  21:28   -
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 Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Central Standard Time(Greenwich Mean Time - 6 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   
   Central Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     CST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  19:30  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km    02  22:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     04  03     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    05  02     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98324 AU    07  15:09  Aldebaran 3.0°S of Moon    09  17:29  Moon at Ascending Node     10  09     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     10  13:10  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.896    10  13:21  FULL MOON     10  20:26  Pollux 5.3°N of Moon    11  17:54  Beehive 1.0°S of Moon    13  05:37  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    13  08     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     13  14:20  Moon at Perigee: 365964 km    17  06:58  LAST QUARTER MOON     17  17:03  Mars 4.7°N of Antares    20  13:13  Mars 2.3°S of Moon    22  14:31  Moon at Descending Node     22  20:42  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.    24  15:42  NEW MOON     28  01:29  Venus 4.1°N of Moon    29  15:28  Moon at Apogee: 405390 kmFeb 01  19:42  FIRST QUARTER MOON     04  00:53  Aldebaran 3.1°S of Moon    06  02:59  Moon at Ascending Node     07  06:58  Pollux 5.3°N of Moon    08  04:16  Beehive 1.0°S of Moon    09  01:33  FULL MOON     09  15:15  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    10  08     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E    10  14:31  Moon at Perigee: 360464 km    11  23     Mercury at Perihelion     15  16:17  LAST QUARTER MOON     18  07:18  Mars 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.    18  18:12  Moon at Descending Node     19  13:36  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    20  07:47  Saturn 1.7°N of Moon    23  09:32  NEW MOON     25  20     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     26  05:35  Moon at Apogee: 406277 kmMar 02  09:16  Aldebaran 3.3°S of Moon    02  13:57  FIRST QUARTER MOON     04  08:58  Moon at Ascending Node     05  17:26  Pollux 5.2°N of Moon    06  15:08  Beehive 1.1°S of Moon    08  02:23  Regulus 3.8°S of Moon    08  06     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     09  11:48  FULL MOON     10  00:33  Moon at Perigee: 357123 km    16  03:34  LAST QUARTER MOON     16  19:00  Moon at Descending Node     18  02:19  Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    18  04:18  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    18  18:04  Saturn 2.1°N of Moon    19  21:50  Vernal Equinox     19  22     Venus at Perihelion     20  04     Mars 0.7°S of Jupiter    21  11:48  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon    23  20     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°W    24  03:28  NEW MOON     24  09:23  Moon at Apogee: 406690 km    24  16     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.1°E    26  23     Mercury at Aphelion     29  15:52  Aldebaran 3.6°S of Moon    31  10:51  Moon at Ascending Node     31  14     Mars 0.9°S of SaturnApr 01  04:21  FIRST QUARTER MOON     02  01:59  Pollux 4.9°N of Moon    03  00:25  Beehive 1.3°S of Moon    03  08:36  Venus 0.3°S of Pleiades    04  12:45  Regulus 3.9°S of Moon    07  12:08  Moon at Perigee: 356909 km    07  20:35  FULL MOON     12  20:58  Moon at Descending Node     14  16:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  17:04  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    15  03:26  Saturn 2.5°N of Moon    15  22:33  Mars 2.0°N of Moon    20  13:01  Moon at Apogee: 406463 km    22  00     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  20:26  NEW MOON     25  21:34  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    26  04     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     27  11:54  Moon at Ascending Node     29  08:19  Pollux 4.7°N of Moon    30  07:18  Beehive 1.6°S of Moon    30  14:38  FIRST QUARTER MOON May 01  20:49  Regulus 4.2°S of Moon    04  13     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    04  15     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     05  21:03  Moon at Perigee: 359656 km    07  04:45  FULL MOON     08  15:40  Antares 6.5°S of Moon    09  22     Mercury at Perihelion     10  03:01  Moon at Descending Node     12  03:40  Jupiter 2.3°N of Moon    12  12:18  Saturn 2.7°N of Moon    14  08:03  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  20:00  Mars 2.8°N of Moon    17  20     Jupiter 4.8°S of Saturn    18  01:45  Moon at Apogee: 405584 km    22  04     Mercury 0.9°S of Venus    22  11:39  NEW MOON     23  20:40  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    24  04:53  Mercury 2.8°N of Moon    24  15:34  Moon at Ascending Node     26  13:43  Pollux 4.6°N of Moon    27  12:44  Beehive 1.7°S of Moon    29  02:44  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    29  21:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON Jun 02  21:36  Moon at Perigee: 364366 km    03  12     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     04  07     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.6°E    05  13:12  FULL MOON     05  13:25  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.568    06  12:10  Moon at Descending Node     08  11:19  Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon    08  20:19  Saturn 2.7°N of Moon    12  17:53  Mars 2.7°N of Moon    13  00:24  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  18:56  Moon at Apogee: 404597 km    19  02:52  Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.    20  15:43  Summer Solstice     20  22:24  Moon at Ascending Node     21  00:40  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.994    21  00:41  NEW MOON     22  19:53  Pollux 4.5°N of Moon    23  18:33  Beehive 1.7°S of Moon    25  08:09  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    28  02:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON     29  20:09  Moon at Perigee: 368958 km    30  21     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction 
Date     CST   Event        (h:m)Jul 03  21:18  Moon at Descending Node     04  07     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01669 AU    04  22:30  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.355    04  22:44  FULL MOON     05  15:37  Jupiter 1.9°N of Moon    06  02:45  Saturn 2.5°N of Moon    10  06     Venus at Aphelion     11  06:10  Venus 1.0°N of Aldebaran    11  13:36  Mars 2.0°N of Moon    12  13:27  Moon at Apogee: 404201 km    12  17:29  LAST QUARTER MOON     14  01     Jupiter at Opposition     16  19:21  Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon    17  01:26  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    18  06:33  Moon at Ascending Node     18  21:54  Mercury 3.9°S of Moon    20  11:33  NEW MOON     20  16     Saturn at Opposition     22  09     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.1°W    22  14:50  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    24  22:54  Moon at Perigee: 368367 km    27  06:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  15     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    31  03:32  Moon at Descending Node Aug 01  14:14  Mercury 6.6°S of Pollux    01  17:30  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    02  07:17  Saturn 2.3°N of Moon    03  03     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38138 AU    03  09:59  FULL MOON     05  22     Mercury at Perihelion     09  01:57  Mars 0.8°N of Moon: Occn.    09  07:51  Moon at Apogee: 404658 km    11  10:45  LAST QUARTER MOON     12  07     Perseid Meteor Shower    12  19     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W    13  04:06  Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon    14  13:22  Moon at Ascending Node     15  07:01  Venus 4.0°S of Moon    16  13:10  Pollux 4.5°N of Moon    17  09     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     18  20:41  NEW MOON     21  04:59  Moon at Perigee: 363513 km    25  11:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  22:04  Antares 6.2°S of Moon    27  05:52  Moon at Descending Node     28  19:33  Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon    29  10:40  Saturn 2.2°N of MoonSep 01  23:22  FULL MOON     05  22:42  Mars 0.0°S of Moon: Occn.    06  00:31  Moon at Apogee: 405606 km    09  12:12  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon    10  03:26  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  17:05  Moon at Ascending Node     11  13     Neptune at Opposition     12  18:10  Venus 2.5°S of Beehive    12  22:50  Pollux 4.3°N of Moon    13  21:19  Beehive 1.8°S of Moon    13  22:43  Venus 4.5°S of Moon    15  09:51  Regulus 4.3°S of Moon    17  05:00  NEW MOON     18  07:44  Moon at Perigee: 359081 km    18  21     Mercury at Aphelion     22  00:06  Mercury 0.3°N of Spica    22  04:27  Antares 6.0°S of Moon    22  07:31  Autumnal Equinox     23  06:33  Moon at Descending Node     23  19:55  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  00:46  Jupiter 1.6°N of Moon    25  14:46  Saturn 2.3°N of MoonOct 01  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.8°E    01  15:05  FULL MOON     02  11:09  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus    02  21:21  Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    03  11:22  Moon at Apogee: 406321 km    06  19:02  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon    07  18:29  Moon at Ascending Node     09  18:39  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  07:18  Pollux 4.1°N of Moon    11  06:27  Beehive 2.1°S of Moon    12  19:59  Regulus 4.5°S of Moon    13  17     Mars at Opposition     13  17:57  Venus 4.3°S of Moon    16  13:31  NEW MOON     16  17:46  Moon at Perigee: 356913 km    19  13:12  Antares 5.7°S of Moon    20  09:53  Moon at Descending Node     20  23     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  11:10  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    22  21:49  Saturn 2.6°N of Moon    23  07:23  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  12     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     29  10:13  Mars 3.0°N of Moon    30  12:46  Moon at Apogee: 406393 km    30  15     Venus at Perihelion     31  08:49  FULL MOON     31  10     Uranus at Opposition Nov 01  21     Mercury at Perihelion     03  00:58  Aldebaran 4.6°S of Moon    03  20:39  Moon at Ascending Node     05  00     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  13:52  Pollux 3.9°N of Moon    07  13:34  Beehive 2.3°S of Moon    08  07:46  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  04:20  Regulus 4.7°S of Moon    10  11     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.1°W    11  23     N Taurid Meteor Shower    12  15:30  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    13  14:45  Mercury 1.7°S of Moon    14  05:48  Moon at Perigee: 357839 km    14  23:07  NEW MOON     16  07:27  Venus 3.6°N of Spica    16  18:07  Moon at Descending Node     17  05     Leonid Meteor Shower    19  02:54  Jupiter 2.5°N of Moon    19  08:57  Saturn 2.9°N of Moon    21  22:45  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  13:45  Mars 4.9°N of Moon    26  18:29  Moon at Apogee: 405891 km    30  03:30  FULL MOON     30  03:43  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.829    30  07:07  Aldebaran 4.6°S of MoonDec 01  01:46  Moon at Ascending Node     03  19:24  Pollux 3.8°N of Moon    04  19:10  Beehive 2.4°S of Moon    06  10:28  Regulus 4.8°S of Moon    07  18:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     12  14:40  Venus 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.    12  14:42  Moon at Perigee: 361777 km    13  19     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  05:03  Moon at Descending Node     14  10:13  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.025    14  10:17  NEW MOON     16  22:28  Jupiter 2.9°N of Moon    16  23:25  Saturn 3.1°N of Moon    19  21     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     21  04:03  Winter Solstice     21  17:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON     22  03     Ursid Meteor Shower    22  03     Jupiter 0.1°S of Saturn    23  08:48  Venus 5.5°N of Antares    23  12:30  Mars 5.6°N of Moon    24  10:32  Moon at Apogee: 405010 km    27  14:20  Aldebaran 4.6°S of Moon    28  09:03  Moon at Ascending Node     29  21:28  FULL MOON     31  01:41  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