2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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