2018Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2018Phases 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. 
   
      2018 Phases of the Moon   
      Eastern Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
-- Jan  1  21:24    Jan  8  17:25   
 Jan 16  21:17    Jan 24  17:20    Jan 31  08:27 t  Feb  7  10:54   
 Feb 15  16:05 P  Feb 23  03:09    Mar  1  19:51    Mar  9  06:20   
 Mar 17  08:12    Mar 24  10:35    Mar 31  07:37    Apr  8  02:18   
 Apr 15  20:57    Apr 22  16:46    Apr 29  19:58    May  7  21:09   
 May 15  06:48    May 21  22:49    May 29  09:20    Jun  6  13:32   
 Jun 13  14:43    Jun 20  05:51    Jun 27  23:53    Jul  6  02:51   
 Jul 12  21:48 P  Jul 19  14:52    Jul 27  15:20 t  Aug  4  13:18   
 Aug 11  04:58 P  Aug 18  02:49    Aug 26  06:56    Sep  2  21:37   
 Sep  9  13:01    Sep 16  18:15    Sep 24  21:53    Oct  2  04:45   
 Oct  8  22:47    Oct 16  13:02    Oct 24  11:45    Oct 31  11:40   
 Nov  7  11:02    Nov 15  09:54    Nov 23  00:39    Nov 29  19:19   
 Dec  7  02:20    Dec 15  06:49    Dec 22  12:49    Dec 29  04:34   
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.
2018Calendar 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.
   
      2018Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Eastern Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     EST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 22.7°W    01  16:54  Moon at Perigee: 356566 km    01  21:24  FULL MOON     03  01     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98329 AU    03  14:50  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    03  15     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    04  02:48  Moon at Ascending Node     05  02:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    06  20     Mars 0.2°S of Jupiter    08  17:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  01     Venus at Superior Conjunction     11  00:59  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    11  05:03  Mars 4.6°S of Moon    13  03     Mercury 0.7°S of Saturn    14  21:10  Moon at Apogee: 406461 km    14  21:13  Saturn 2.6°S of Moon    15  02:24  Mercury 3.4°S of Moon    16  21:17  NEW MOON     18  09:28  Moon at Descending Node     23  12     Venus at Aphelion     24  17:20  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  06     Mercury at Aphelion     27  05:09  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    30  04:54  Moon at Perigee: 358995 km    31  02:19  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    31  08:27  FULL MOON     31  08:30  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.315    31  13:46  Moon at Ascending Node Feb 01  13:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    07  10:54  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  14:47  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    09  00:12  Mars 4.4°S of Moon    11  09:16  Moon at Apogee: 405701 km    11  09:46  Saturn 2.5°S of Moon    11  11:40  Mars 5.0°N of Antares    14  16:11  Moon at Descending Node     15  15:51  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.599    15  16:05  NEW MOON     17  07     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     23  03:09  FIRST QUARTER MOON     23  12:07  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    27  09:48  Moon at Perigee: 363938 km    27  12:28  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    28  00:03  Moon at Ascending Node Mar 01  00:09  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    01  19:51  FULL MOON     04  01     Mercury 1.1°N of Venus    04  09     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     07  01:57  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    09  06:20  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  19:37  Mars 3.8°S of Moon    10  06     Mercury at Perihelion     10  21:37  Saturn 2.2°S of Moon    11  04:13  Moon at Apogee: 404682 km    13  22:47  Moon at Descending Node     15  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.4°E    17  08:12  NEW MOON     18  14:07  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    19  03     Mercury 3.8°N of Venus    20  11:15  Vernal Equinox     22  17:33  Aldebaran 0.9°S of Moon    24  10:35  FIRST QUARTER MOON     26  12:17  Moon at Perigee: 369104 km    26  19:52  Beehive 2.2°N of Moon    27  05:56  Moon at Ascending Node     28  08:38  Regulus 1.0°S of Moon    31  07:37  FULL MOON Apr 01  13     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     02  14     Mars 1.3°S of Saturn    03  09:14  Jupiter 3.9°S of Moon    07  07:50  Saturn 1.9°S of Moon    07  13:15  Mars 3.1°S of Moon    08  00:32  Moon at Apogee: 404145 km    08  02:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  03:09  Moon at Descending Node     14  04:24  Mercury 3.9°N of Moon    15  20:57  NEW MOON     17  07     Saturn at Aphelion: 10.06564 AU    17  14:29  Venus 5.4°N of Moon    18  10     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     18  23:45  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    20  09:44  Moon at Perigee: 368713 km    22  13     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  16:46  FIRST QUARTER MOON     23  01:17  Beehive 1.9°N of Moon    23  07:19  Moon at Ascending Node     24  11:47  Venus 3.4°S of Pleiades    24  14:39  Regulus 1.2°S of Moon    29  13     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.0°W    29  19:58  FULL MOON     30  12:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of MoonMay 02  08:29  Venus 6.3°N of Aldebaran    04  15:31  Saturn 1.7°S of Moon    05  02     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    05  19:35  Moon at Apogee: 404458 km    06  02:24  Mars 2.7°S of Moon    07  05:23  Moon at Descending Node     07  21:09  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  19     Jupiter at Opposition     13  12:21  Mercury 2.4°N of Moon    15  06:48  NEW MOON     15  20     Venus at Perihelion     17  13:11  Venus 4.8°N of Moon    17  16:06  Moon at Perigee: 363777 km    20  06:57  Beehive 1.7°N of Moon    20  08:13  Moon at Ascending Node     21  19:53  Regulus 1.4°S of Moon    21  22:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  12:39  Jupiter 4.0°S of Moon    29  09:20  FULL MOON     31  20:20  Saturn 1.6°S of MoonJun 02  11:34  Moon at Apogee: 405316 km    03  06:58  Mars 3.2°S of Moon    03  07:39  Moon at Descending Node     05  21     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     06  05     Mercury at Perihelion     06  13:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  22:37  Venus 4.6°S of Pollux    13  14:43  NEW MOON     14  18:55  Moon at Perigee: 359507 km    16  08:13  Venus 2.3°N of Moon    16  12:50  Moon at Ascending Node     16  14:38  Beehive 1.5°N of Moon    18  02:25  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    19  21:21  Venus 0.4°N of Beehive    20  05:51  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  05:07  Summer Solstice     23  13:47  Jupiter 4.2°S of Moon    24  16:37  Mercury 4.7°S of Pollux    27  07     Saturn at Opposition     27  22:59  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    27  23:53  FULL MOON     29  21:43  Moon at Apogee: 406061 km    30  11:44  Moon at Descending Node     30  20:43  Mars 4.8°S of Moon
Date     EST   Event        (h:m)Jul 04  00:39  Mercury 0.6°S of Beehive    06  02:51  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  12     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01670 AU    09  18:34  Venus 0.9°N of Regulus    10  04:30  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    12  00     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 26.4°E    12  21:48  NEW MOON     12  22:01  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.337    13  03:28  Moon at Perigee: 357432 km    13  21:50  Moon at Ascending Node     14  17:04  Mercury 2.2°S of Moon    15  11:14  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    15  22:31  Venus 1.6°S of Moon    19  14:52  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  05     Mercury at Aphelion     20  18:57  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    24  11:49  Mercury 1.2°S of Regulus    25  01:10  Saturn 2.0°S of Moon    27  01     Mars at Opposition     27  00:44  Moon at Apogee: 406223 km    27  15:20  FULL MOON     27  15:22  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.609    27  17:40  Moon at Descending Node     28  04     Delta-Aquarid Meteor ShowerAug 04  13:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  13:35  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    08  21     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     10  08:40  Moon at Ascending Node     10  13:05  Moon at Perigee: 358083 km    11  04:46  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.737    11  04:58  NEW MOON     12  20     Perseid Meteor Shower    14  08:35  Venus 6.3°S of Moon    17  05:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    17  11     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.9°E    18  02:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  21:09  Mercury 4.8°S of Beehive    21  04:55  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    23  06:23  Moon at Apogee: 405744 km    23  23:51  Moon at Descending Node     26  06:56  FULL MOON     26  15     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.3°W    31  23:45  Venus 1.0°S of SpicaSep 02  05     Mercury at Perihelion     02  20:34  Aldebaran 1.2°S of Moon    02  21:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  17:42  Moon at Ascending Node     06  21:13  Beehive 1.4°N of Moon    07  12     Neptune at Opposition     07  20:21  Moon at Perigee: 361355 km    09  13:01  NEW MOON     13  21:21  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    16  08     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38144 AU    16  18:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  11:46  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    19  19:54  Moon at Apogee: 404875 km    20  01:38  Mars 4.8°S of Moon    20  04:30  Moon at Descending Node     20  21     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     22  20:54  Autumnal Equinox     24  21:52  FULL MOON     30  02:06  Aldebaran 1.4°S of MoonOct 02  04:45  LAST QUARTER MOON     03  22:10  Moon at Ascending Node     04  04:51  Beehive 1.3°N of Moon    05  16:58  Regulus 1.8°S of Moon    05  17:29  Moon at Perigee: 366396 km    08  22:47  NEW MOON     11  16:21  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    14  22:01  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    15  22     Mercury 6.2°N of Venus    16  13:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  07:03  Moon at Descending Node     17  14:16  Moon at Apogee: 404227 km    18  08:01  Mars 1.9°S of Moon    21  12     Orionid Meteor Shower    23  20     Uranus at Opposition     24  11:45  FULL MOON     26  09     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     27  08:04  Aldebaran 1.6°S of Moon    29  01     Mercury 3.1°S of Jupiter    30  22:46  Moon at Ascending Node     31  10:24  Beehive 1.0°N of Moon    31  11:40  LAST QUARTER MOON     31  15:05  Moon at Perigee: 370201 kmNov 01  23:16  Regulus 2.1°S of Moon    05  13     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.3°E    07  11:02  NEW MOON     08  23:58  Mercury 1.8°N of Antares    11  10:46  Saturn 1.4°S of Moon    12  12     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  09:04  Moon at Descending Node     14  10:57  Moon at Apogee: 404341 km    14  18:14  Venus 0.2°S of Spica    15  09:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     15  23:16  Mars 1.0°N of Moon: Occn.    17  18     Leonid Meteor Shower    23  00:39  FULL MOON     23  16:11  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    26  01     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     26  07:10  Moon at Perigee: 366623 km    27  00:18  Moon at Ascending Node     27  04     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     27  15:57  Beehive 0.8°N of Moon    29  04     Mercury at Perihelion     29  04:27  Regulus 2.3°S of Moon    29  19:19  LAST QUARTER MOON Dec 03  13:42  Venus 3.6°S of Moon    05  16:06  Mercury 1.9°S of Moon    07  02:20  NEW MOON     09  00:30  Saturn 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    10  12:57  Moon at Descending Node     12  07:25  Moon at Apogee: 405177 km    14  07     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  18:21  Mars 3.6°N of Moon    15  06     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 21.3°W    15  06:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  02:31  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    21  15     Mercury 0.8°N of Jupiter    21  17:22  Winter Solstice     22  03:05  Mercury 5.8°N of Antares    22  10:03  Jupiter 5.1°N of Antares    22  12:49  FULL MOON     22  16     Ursid Meteor Shower    24  04:52  Moon at Perigee: 361060 km    24  06:54  Moon at Ascending Node     24  23:52  Beehive 0.6°N of Moon    26  11:06  Regulus 2.5°S of Moon    26  13     Venus at Perihelion     29  04:34  LAST QUARTER 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