2020 Sky Event Almanac
Eastern Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Eastern Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time − 5 hours) . This time zone may have different names in different countries. If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the almanac.
| 2020 Sky Event Almanac | ||||||||
| Eastern Standard Time | ||||||||
| January - June | July - December | |||||||
Date EST Event
(h:m)
Jan 01 20:30 Moon at Apogee: 404580 km
02 23:45 FIRST QUARTER MOON
04 04 Quadrantid Meteor Shower
05 03 Earth at Perihelion: 0.98324 AU
07 16:09 Aldebaran 3.0°S of Moon
09 18:29 Moon at Ascending Node
10 10 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
10 14:10 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.896
10 14:21 FULL MOON
13 06:37 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
13 09 Saturn in Conjunction with Sun
13 15:20 Moon at Perigee: 365964 km
17 07:58 LAST QUARTER MOON
17 18:03 Mars 4.7°N of Antares
20 14:13 Mars 2.3°S of Moon
22 15:31 Moon at Descending Node
22 21:42 Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.
24 16:42 NEW MOON
28 02:29 Venus 4.1°N of Moon
29 16:28 Moon at Apogee: 405390 km
Feb 01 20:42 FIRST QUARTER MOON
04 01:53 Aldebaran 3.1°S of Moon
06 03:59 Moon at Ascending Node
09 02:33 FULL MOON
09 16:15 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
10 09 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E
10 15:31 Moon at Perigee: 360464 km
12 00 Mercury at Perihelion
15 17:17 LAST QUARTER MOON
18 08:18 Mars 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.
18 19:12 Moon at Descending Node
19 14:36 Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
20 08:47 Saturn 1.7°N of Moon
23 10:32 NEW MOON
25 21 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
26 06:35 Moon at Apogee: 406277 km
Mar 02 10:16 Aldebaran 3.3°S of Moon
02 14:57 FIRST QUARTER MOON
04 09:58 Moon at Ascending Node
08 03:23 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
08 07 Neptune in Conjunction with Sun
09 12:48 FULL MOON
10 01:33 Moon at Perigee: 357123 km
16 04:34 LAST QUARTER MOON
16 20:00 Moon at Descending Node
18 03:19 Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.
18 05:18 Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon
18 19:04 Saturn 2.1°N of Moon
19 22:50 Vernal Equinox
19 23 Venus at Perihelion
20 05 Mars 0.7°S of Jupiter
21 12:48 Mercury 3.6°N of Moon
23 21 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°W
24 04:28 NEW MOON
24 10:23 Moon at Apogee: 406690 km
24 17 Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.1°E
27 00 Mercury at Aphelion
29 16:52 Aldebaran 3.6°S of Moon
31 11:51 Moon at Ascending Node
31 15 Mars 0.9°S of Saturn
Apr 01 05:21 FIRST QUARTER MOON
03 09:36 Venus 0.3°S of Pleiades
04 13:45 Regulus 3.9°S of Moon
07 13:08 Moon at Perigee: 356909 km
07 21:35 FULL MOON
12 21:58 Moon at Descending Node
14 17:56 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 18:04 Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon
15 04:26 Saturn 2.5°N of Moon
15 23:33 Mars 2.0°N of Moon
20 14:01 Moon at Apogee: 406463 km
22 01 Lyrid Meteor Shower
22 21:26 NEW MOON
25 22:34 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
26 05 Uranus in Conjunction with Sun
27 12:54 Moon at Ascending Node
29 09:19 Pollux 4.7°N of Moon
30 15:38 FIRST QUARTER MOON
May 01 21:49 Regulus 4.2°S of Moon
04 14 Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
04 16 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
05 22:03 Moon at Perigee: 359656 km
07 05:45 FULL MOON
09 23 Mercury at Perihelion
10 04:01 Moon at Descending Node
12 04:40 Jupiter 2.3°N of Moon
12 13:18 Saturn 2.7°N of Moon
14 09:03 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 21:00 Mars 2.8°N of Moon
17 21 Jupiter 4.8°S of Saturn
18 02:45 Moon at Apogee: 405584 km
22 05 Mercury 0.9°S of Venus
22 12:39 NEW MOON
23 21:40 Venus 3.7°N of Moon
24 05:53 Mercury 2.8°N of Moon
24 16:34 Moon at Ascending Node
26 14:43 Pollux 4.6°N of Moon
29 03:44 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
29 22:30 FIRST QUARTER MOON
Jun 02 22:36 Moon at Perigee: 364366 km
03 13 Venus at Inferior Conjunction
04 08 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.6°E
05 14:12 FULL MOON
05 14:25 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.568
06 13:10 Moon at Descending Node
08 12:19 Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon
08 21:19 Saturn 2.7°N of Moon
12 18:53 Mars 2.7°N of Moon
13 01:24 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 19:56 Moon at Apogee: 404597 km
19 03:52 Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.
19 11:56 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
20 16:43 Summer Solstice
20 23:24 Moon at Ascending Node
21 01:40 Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.994
21 01:41 NEW MOON
22 20:53 Pollux 4.5°N of Moon
25 09:09 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
28 03:16 FIRST QUARTER MOON
29 21:09 Moon at Perigee: 368958 km
30 22 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
|
Date EST Event
(h:m)
Jul 03 22:18 Moon at Descending Node
04 08 Earth at Aphelion: 1.01669 AU
04 23:30 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.355
04 23:44 FULL MOON
05 16:37 Jupiter 1.9°N of Moon
06 03:45 Saturn 2.5°N of Moon
10 07 Venus at Aphelion
11 07:10 Venus 1.0°N of Aldebaran
11 14:36 Mars 2.0°N of Moon
12 14:27 Moon at Apogee: 404201 km
12 18:29 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 02 Jupiter at Opposition
16 20:21 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
17 02:26 Venus 3.1°S of Moon
18 07:33 Moon at Ascending Node
18 22:54 Mercury 3.9°S of Moon
20 12:33 NEW MOON
20 17 Saturn at Opposition
22 10 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.1°W
22 15:50 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
24 23:54 Moon at Perigee: 368367 km
27 07:32 FIRST QUARTER MOON
27 16 Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
31 04:32 Moon at Descending Node
Aug 01 18:30 Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon
02 08:17 Saturn 2.3°N of Moon
03 04 Mars at Perihelion: 1.38138 AU
03 10:59 FULL MOON
05 23 Mercury at Perihelion
09 02:57 Mars 0.8°N of Moon: Occn.
09 08:51 Moon at Apogee: 404658 km
11 11:45 LAST QUARTER MOON
12 08 Perseid Meteor Shower
12 20 Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W
13 05:06 Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon
14 14:22 Moon at Ascending Node
15 08:01 Venus 4.0°S of Moon
16 14:10 Pollux 4.5°N of Moon
17 10 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
18 21:41 NEW MOON
21 05:59 Moon at Perigee: 363513 km
25 12:58 FIRST QUARTER MOON
27 06:52 Moon at Descending Node
28 20:33 Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon
29 11:40 Saturn 2.2°N of Moon
Sep 02 00:22 FULL MOON
05 23:42 Mars 0.0°S of Moon: Occn.
06 01:31 Moon at Apogee: 405606 km
09 13:12 Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon
10 04:26 LAST QUARTER MOON
10 18:05 Moon at Ascending Node
11 14 Neptune at Opposition
12 23:50 Pollux 4.3°N of Moon
13 23:43 Venus 4.5°S of Moon
15 10:51 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
17 06:00 NEW MOON
18 08:44 Moon at Perigee: 359081 km
18 22 Mercury at Aphelion
22 01:06 Mercury 0.3°N of Spica
22 08:31 Autumnal Equinox
23 07:33 Moon at Descending Node
23 20:55 FIRST QUARTER MOON
25 01:46 Jupiter 1.6°N of Moon
25 15:46 Saturn 2.3°N of Moon
Oct 01 11 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.8°E
01 16:05 FULL MOON
02 12:09 Venus 0.1°S of Regulus
02 22:21 Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.
03 12:22 Moon at Apogee: 406321 km
06 20:02 Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon
07 19:29 Moon at Ascending Node
09 19:39 LAST QUARTER MOON
10 08:18 Pollux 4.1°N of Moon
12 20:59 Regulus 4.5°S of Moon
13 18 Mars at Opposition
13 18:57 Venus 4.3°S of Moon
16 14:31 NEW MOON
16 18:46 Moon at Perigee: 356913 km
20 10:53 Moon at Descending Node
21 00 Orionid Meteor Shower
22 12:10 Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon
22 22:49 Saturn 2.6°N of Moon
23 08:23 FIRST QUARTER MOON
25 13 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
29 11:13 Mars 3.0°N of Moon
30 13:46 Moon at Apogee: 406393 km
30 16 Venus at Perihelion
31 09:49 FULL MOON
31 11 Uranus at Opposition
Nov 01 22 Mercury at Perihelion
03 21:39 Moon at Ascending Node
05 01 S Taurid Meteor Shower
06 14:52 Pollux 3.9°N of Moon
08 08:46 LAST QUARTER MOON
09 05:20 Regulus 4.7°S of Moon
10 12 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.1°W
12 00 N Taurid Meteor Shower
12 16:30 Venus 3.1°S of Moon
13 15:45 Mercury 1.7°S of Moon
14 06:48 Moon at Perigee: 357839 km
15 00:07 NEW MOON
16 08:27 Venus 3.6°N of Spica
16 19:07 Moon at Descending Node
17 06 Leonid Meteor Shower
19 03:54 Jupiter 2.5°N of Moon
19 09:57 Saturn 2.9°N of Moon
21 23:45 FIRST QUARTER MOON
26 19:29 Moon at Apogee: 405891 km
30 04:30 FULL MOON
30 04:43 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.829
Dec 01 02:46 Moon at Ascending Node
03 20:24 Pollux 3.8°N of Moon
06 11:28 Regulus 4.8°S of Moon
07 19:37 LAST QUARTER MOON
12 15:40 Venus 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.
12 15:42 Moon at Perigee: 361777 km
13 20 Geminid Meteor Shower
14 06:03 Moon at Descending Node
14 11:13 Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.025
14 11:17 NEW MOON
16 23:28 Jupiter 2.9°N of Moon
17 00:25 Saturn 3.1°N of Moon
19 22 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
21 05:03 Winter Solstice
21 18:41 FIRST QUARTER MOON
22 04 Ursid Meteor Shower
22 04 Jupiter 0.1°S of Saturn
24 11:32 Moon at Apogee: 405010 km
28 10:03 Moon at Ascending Node
29 22:28 FULL MOON
31 02:41 Pollux 3.8°N of Moon
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Terms Used in Sky Event Almanac
- 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
2020 Phases of the Moon
Eastern Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Eastern Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time − 5 hours) . This time zone may have different names in different countries. If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed.
| 2020 Phases of the Moon | |||
| Eastern Standard Time | |||
| New Moon | First Quarter | Full Moon | Last Quarter |
| - | Jan 02 23:45 | Jan 10 14:21 n | Jan 17 07:58 |
| Jan 24 16:42 | Feb 01 20:42 | Feb 09 02:33 | Feb 15 17:17 |
| Feb 23 10:32 | Mar 02 14:57 | Mar 09 12:48 | Mar 16 04:34 |
| Mar 24 04:28 | Apr 01 05:21 | Apr 07 21:35 | Apr 14 17:56 |
| Apr 22 21:26 | Apr 30 15:38 | May 07 05:45 | May 14 09:03 |
| May 22 12:39 | May 29 22:30 | Jun 05 14:12 n | Jun 13 01:24 |
| Jun 21 01:41 A | Jun 28 03:16 | Jul 04 23:44 n | Jul 12 18:29 |
| Jul 20 12:33 | Jul 27 07:32 | Aug 03 10:59 | Aug 11 11:45 |
| Aug 18 21:41 | Aug 25 12:58 | Sep 02 00:22 | Sep 10 04:26 |
| Sep 17 06:00 | Sep 23 20:55 | Oct 01 16:05 | Oct 09 19:39 |
| Oct 16 14:31 | Oct 23 08:23 | Oct 31 09:49 | Nov 08 08:46 |
| Nov 15 00:07 | Nov 21 23:45 | Nov 30 04:30 n | Dec 07 19:37 |
| Dec 14 11:17 T | Dec 21 18:41 | Dec 29 22:28 | - |
For a collection of images showing the Moon's phases see: Phases of the Moon Photo Gallery.
The Phases of the Moon table also shows when an eclipse takes place. 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 Phases of the Moon table. 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.
Solar Eclipses
The following table contains links to a series of web pages covering the 21st Century. Each one summarizes ten years of solar eclipses. Every eclipse has links to a global visibility map, an interactive Google map, tables, and additional information.
| Decade Pages of Solar Eclipses | |||||
| Decades | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-2010 | 2011-2020 | 2021-2030 | 2031-2040 | 2041-2050 | |
| 2051-2060 | 2061-2070 | 2071-2080 | 2081-2090 | 2091-2100 | |
Lunar Eclipses
The following table contains links to a series of web pages covering the 21st Century. Each one summarizes ten years of lunar eclipses. Every eclipse has links to an eclipse diagram, a global visibility map, tables, and additional information.
| Decade Pages of Lunar Eclipses | |||||
| Decades | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001-2010 | 2011-2020 | 2021-2030 | 2031-2040 | 2041-2050 | |
| 2051-2060 | 2061-2070 | 2071-2080 | 2081-2090 | 2091-2100 | |
Sky Event Almanacs: 2011 to 2020
The Americas
Below are links to sky event almanacs from 2011 to 2020 for eight time zones in the Americas.
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a sky event almanac for that year.
| Sky Event Almanacs - The Americas | |||||||||||||||
| ART | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | |||||
| 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 | |||||
- ART = Argentina Time (= UTC - 3 hours)
- AST = Atlantic Standard Time (= UTC - 4 hours)
- EST = Eastern Standard Time (= UTC - 5 hours)
- CST = Central Standard Time (= UTC - 6 hours)
- MST = Mountain Standard Time (= UTC - 7 hours)
- PST = Pacific Standard Time (= UTC - 8 hours)
- AKST = Alaskan Standard Time (= UTC - 9 hours)
- HST = Hawaiian Standard Time (= UTC - 10 hours)
(where UTC = Coordinated Universal Time)
- Time Zones Abbreviations
A time zone may have a different name in different countries. Note the difference in hours between a given time zone and Coordinated Universal Time to help in identification.
For other years and other time zones, visit: Sky Event Almanacs.
Accuracy of the Sky Event Almanacs
The goal of the Sky Event Almanacs 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 Sky Event Almanacs | |
| 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 |
Fifty Year Almanac of Astronomical Events - 2021 to 2070
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:
- "Sky Event Almanacs Courtesy of Fred Espenak, www.AstroPixels.com".
Return to: Sky Event Almanacs
Return to: Planetary Ephemeris Data
Useful External Links
Interactive Sky Chart (Sky and Telescope)
Sky Maps (sky-map.org)
Astronomical Almanac (Sky and Telescope)
Weather Forecast for Astronomy (Clear Outside)
GOES-East Images (NOAA-GOES)
Astronomy Tools (Astronomy Tools)