2020Calendar of Astronomical Events

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