2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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