2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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