2016Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2016Phases 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(Greenwich Mean Time - 5 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. 
   
      2016 Phases of the Moon   
      Eastern Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
--- Jan  2  00:30   
 Jan  9  20:30    Jan 16  18:26    Jan 23  20:46    Jan 31  22:28   
 Feb  8  09:39    Feb 15  02:46    Feb 22  13:20    Mar  1  18:11   
 Mar  8  20:54 T  Mar 15  12:03    Mar 23  07:01 n  Mar 31  10:17   
 Apr  7  06:24    Apr 13  22:59    Apr 22  00:24    Apr 29  22:29   
 May  6  14:30    May 13  12:02    May 21  16:15    May 29  07:12   
 Jun  4  22:00    Jun 12  03:10    Jun 20  06:02    Jun 27  13:19   
 Jul  4  06:01    Jul 11  19:52    Jul 19  17:57    Jul 26  18:00   
 Aug  2  15:45    Aug 10  13:21    Aug 18  04:27    Aug 24  22:41   
 Sep  1  04:03 A  Sep  9  06:49    Sep 16  14:05 n  Sep 23  04:56   
 Sep 30  19:12    Oct  8  23:33    Oct 15  23:23    Oct 22  14:14   
 Oct 30  12:38    Nov  7  14:51    Nov 14  08:52    Nov 21  03:33   
 Nov 29  07:18    Dec  7  04:03    Dec 13  19:06    Dec 20  20:56   
 Dec 29  01:53   ---
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.
2016Calendar of Astronomical Events
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(Greenwich Mean Time - 5 hours).If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.
   
      2016Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Eastern Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     EST   Event        (h:m)Jan 02  00:30  LAST QUARTER MOON     02  06:53  Moon at Apogee: 404279 km    02  18     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98330 AU    02  22:35  Spica 4.7°S of Moon    03  13:45  Mars 1.5°S of Moon    04  03     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    06  18:57  Venus 3.1°S of Moon    06  23:57  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    07  06:34  Venus 6.3°N of Antares    08  13     Mercury at Perihelion     09  03     Venus 0.1°N of Saturn    09  20:30  NEW MOON     14  09     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     14  10:48  Moon at Descending Node     14  21:10  Moon at Perigee: 369619 km    16  18:26  FIRST QUARTER MOON     19  21:16  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    23  20:46  FULL MOON     26  00:10  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    27  18:58  Moon at Ascending Node     27  20:14  Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon    30  04:10  Moon at Apogee: 404553 km    30  06:35  Spica 5.0°S of Moon    31  22:28  LAST QUARTER MOON Feb 01  03:48  Mars 2.7°S of Moon    03  14:05  Saturn 3.5°S of Moon    06  02:32  Venus 4.3°S of Moon    06  11:47  Mercury 3.8°S of Moon    06  20     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.6°W    08  09:39  NEW MOON     10  15:46  Moon at Descending Node     10  21:42  Moon at Perigee: 364358 km    12  22     Mercury 4.0°N of Venus    15  02:46  FIRST QUARTER MOON     16  02:41  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    21  12     Mercury at Aphelion     22  07:48  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    22  13:20  FULL MOON     23  22:58  Jupiter 1.7°N of Moon    24  01:10  Moon at Ascending Node     26  14:05  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    26  22:28  Moon at Apogee: 405383 km    28  10     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     29  13:16  Mars 3.6°S of MoonMar 01  18:11  LAST QUARTER MOON     02  01:53  Saturn 3.6°S of Moon    07  05:54  Venus 3.5°S of Moon    08  05     Jupiter at Opposition     08  20:54  NEW MOON     08  20:57  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.045    09  01:31  Moon at Descending Node     10  02:02  Moon at Perigee: 359509 km    14  08:44  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    15  12:03  FIRST QUARTER MOON     19  23:31  Vernal Equinox     20  09     Venus at Aphelion     20  14:05  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    21  22:57  Jupiter 2.1°N of Moon    22  07:59  Moon at Ascending Node     23  06:47  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.775    23  07:01  FULL MOON     23  15     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     24  20:50  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    25  09:16  Moon at Apogee: 406125 km    28  13:45  Mars 4.2°S of Moon    29  09:58  Saturn 3.5°S of Moon    31  10:17  LAST QUARTER MOON Apr 05  12     Mercury at Perihelion     05  12:27  Moon at Descending Node     06  03:30  Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.    07  06:24  NEW MOON     07  12:36  Moon at Perigee: 357164 km    08  05:35  Mercury 5.2°N of Moon    09  16     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     10  17:05  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    13  22:59  FIRST QUARTER MOON     16  19:46  Regulus 2.5°N of Moon    17  23:42  Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon    18  09     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.9°E    18  13:04  Moon at Ascending Node     21  02:59  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    21  11:05  Moon at Apogee: 406352 km    22  00:24  FULL MOON     22  00     Lyrid Meteor Shower    24  23:13  Mars 4.9°S of Moon    25  14:28  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    27  08:51  Mars 4.8°N of Antares    28  03:14  Mercury 3.0°S of Pleiades    29  22:29  LAST QUARTER MOON May 02  20:27  Moon at Descending Node     04  14     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    05  23:14  Moon at Perigee: 357828 km    06  14:30  NEW MOON     08  03:21  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    09  10     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     13  12:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     14  02:06  Regulus 2.3°N of Moon    15  04:30  Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon    15  15:39  Moon at Ascending Node     18  09:07  Spica 5.1°S of Moon    18  17:06  Moon at Apogee: 405934 km    21  16:15  FULL MOON     22  06     Mars at Opposition     22  16:59  Saturn 3.2°S of Moon    29  07:12  LAST QUARTER MOON     29  23:45  Moon at Descending Node Jun 03  01     Saturn at Opposition     03  04:47  Mercury 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    03  05:55  Moon at Perigee: 361142 km    04  22:00  NEW MOON     05  04     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.2°W    06  17     Venus at Superior Conjunction     10  09:47  Regulus 2.0°N of Moon    11  14:35  Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon    11  17:20  Moon at Ascending Node     12  03:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON     13  05:06  Mercury 6.4°S of Pleiades    14  15:47  Spica 5.3°S of Moon    15  07:00  Moon at Apogee: 405022 km    18  19:40  Saturn 3.3°S of Moon    18  22:39  Mercury 3.7°N of Aldebaran    20  06:02  FULL MOON     20  17:35  Summer Solstice     26  00:28  Moon at Descending Node     27  13:19  LAST QUARTER MOON 
Date     EST   Event        (h:m)Jul 01  01:45  Moon at Perigee: 365983 km    01  22:58  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    02  11     Mercury at Perihelion     04  06:01  NEW MOON     04  11     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01675 AU    06  22     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     07  18:33  Regulus 1.8°N of Moon    08  20:41  Moon at Ascending Node     09  05:08  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.    10  18     Venus at Perihelion     11  19:52  FIRST QUARTER MOON     11  23:13  Spica 5.6°S of Moon    13  00:24  Moon at Apogee: 404272 km    16  00:11  Saturn 3.4°S of Moon    16  18     Mercury 0.5°N of Venus    19  17:57  FULL MOON     23  02:49  Moon at Descending Node     26  18:00  LAST QUARTER MOON     27  06:25  Moon at Perigee: 369659 km    27  16     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    29  05:53  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    30  10:55  Mercury 0.3°N of RegulusAug 02  15:45  NEW MOON     04  01:19  Venus 2.9°N of Moon    04  17:12  Mercury 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.    05  02:48  Moon at Ascending Node     05  06:57  Venus 1.0°N of Regulus    05  22:28  Jupiter 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.    08  07:08  Spica 5.8°S of Moon    09  19:05  Moon at Apogee: 404266 km    10  13:21  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  07:10  Saturn 3.7°S of Moon    12  07     Perseid Meteor Shower    15  11     Mercury at Aphelion     16  16     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.4°E    18  04:27  FULL MOON     19  09:14  Moon at Descending Node     20  01     Mercury 3.8°S of Jupiter    21  20:20  Moon at Perigee: 367047 km    24  00:09  Mars 1.8°N of Antares    24  20     Mars 4.3°S of Saturn    24  22:41  LAST QUARTER MOON     25  11:21  Aldebaran 0.2°S of Moon    27  17     Venus 0.1°N of Jupiter    28  15     Mercury 5.0°S of VenusSep 01  04:03  NEW MOON     01  04:07  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.974    01  10:27  Moon at Ascending Node     02  10     Neptune at Opposition     03  05:33  Venus 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    04  14:56  Spica 5.8°S of Moon    04  15:05  Saturn 5.9°N of Antares    06  13:44  Moon at Apogee: 405059 km    08  16:23  Saturn 3.8°S of Moon    09  06:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     12  19     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     15  18:55  Moon at Descending Node     16  13:54  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.908    16  14:05  FULL MOON     18  10:15  Venus 2.2°N of Spica    18  12:00  Moon at Perigee: 361894 km    21  17:13  Aldebaran 0.2°S of Moon    22  09:21  Autumnal Equinox     23  04:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     26  01     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     27  17:32  Regulus 1.7°N of Moon    28  10     Mercury at Perihelion     28  14     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 17.9°W    28  17:06  Moon at Ascending Node     29  05:42  Mercury 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.    30  19:12  NEW MOON Oct 03  12:30  Venus 5.0°S of Moon    04  06:02  Moon at Apogee: 406100 km    06  03:04  Saturn 3.8°S of Moon    08  23:33  FIRST QUARTER MOON     11  05     Mercury 0.8°N of Jupiter    13  04:43  Moon at Descending Node     15  05     Uranus at Opposition     15  23:23  FULL MOON     16  18:36  Moon at Perigee: 357860 km    19  01:18  Aldebaran 0.3°S of Moon    21  00     Orionid Meteor Shower    22  14:14  LAST QUARTER MOON     24  23:01  Regulus 1.6°N of Moon    25  20:44  Moon at Ascending Node     26  05:56  Venus 3.0°N of Antares    27  11     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     28  04:33  Jupiter 1.4°S of Moon    29  08     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38124 AU    29  21     Venus 3.0°S of Saturn    30  12:38  NEW MOON     31  14:29  Moon at Apogee: 406660 kmNov 02  14:38  Saturn 3.7°S of Moon    05  00     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  07:07  Mars 5.3°S of Moon    07  14:51  FIRST QUARTER MOON     09  10:57  Moon at Descending Node     11  23     N Taurid Meteor Shower    14  06:23  Moon at Perigee: 356512 km    14  08:52  FULL MOON     15  11:50  Aldebaran 0.4°S of Moon    17  06     Leonid Meteor Shower    19  12:51  Beehive 4.3°N of Moon    21  03:33  LAST QUARTER MOON     21  05:08  Regulus 1.3°N of Moon    21  21:48  Moon at Ascending Node     23  14     Mercury 3.4°S of Saturn    24  20:47  Jupiter 1.9°S of Moon    27  15:08  Moon at Apogee: 406556 km    29  07:18  NEW MOON Dec 03  07:34  Venus 5.8°S of Moon    05  05:39  Mars 2.9°S of Moon    06  12:35  Moon at Descending Node     07  04:03  FIRST QUARTER MOON     10  06     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun     10  23     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.8°E    12  18:27  Moon at Perigee: 358463 km    12  23:14  Aldebaran 0.5°S of Moon    13  19     Geminid Meteor Shower    13  19:06  FULL MOON     16  22:17  Beehive 4.1°N of Moon    18  13:13  Regulus 1.0°N of Moon    18  23:46  Moon at Ascending Node     20  20:56  LAST QUARTER MOON     21  05:45  Winter Solstice     22  03     Ursid Meteor Shower    22  11:37  Jupiter 2.4°S of Moon    25  00:55  Moon at Apogee: 405870 km    25  10     Mercury at Perihelion     28  14     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     29  01:53  NEW 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