2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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