2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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