2018Calendar of Astronomical Events

    
2018Phases 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. 
   
      2018 Phases of the Moon   
      Pacific Standard Time
 New Moon  First Quarter  Full Moon  Last Quarter 
-- Jan  1  18:24    Jan  8  14:25   
 Jan 16  18:17    Jan 24  14:20    Jan 31  05:27 t  Feb  7  07:54   
 Feb 15  13:05 P  Feb 23  00:09    Mar  1  16:51    Mar  9  03:20   
 Mar 17  05:12    Mar 24  07:35    Mar 31  04:37    Apr  7  23:18   
 Apr 15  17:57    Apr 22  13:46    Apr 29  16:58    May  7  18:09   
 May 15  03:48    May 21  19:49    May 29  06:20    Jun  6  10:32   
 Jun 13  11:43    Jun 20  02:51    Jun 27  20:53    Jul  5  23:51   
 Jul 12  18:48 P  Jul 19  11:52    Jul 27  12:20 t  Aug  4  10:18   
 Aug 11  01:58 P  Aug 17  23:49    Aug 26  03:56    Sep  2  18:37   
 Sep  9  10:01    Sep 16  15:15    Sep 24  18:53    Oct  2  01:45   
 Oct  8  19:47    Oct 16  10:02    Oct 24  08:45    Oct 31  08:40   
 Nov  7  08:02    Nov 15  06:54    Nov 22  21:39    Nov 29  16:19   
 Dec  6  23:20    Dec 15  03:49    Dec 22  09:49    Dec 29  01:34   
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
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.
   
      2018Calendar of Astronomical Events   
   Pacific Standard Time  
 January - June   July - December 
Date     PST   Event        (h:m)Jan 01  12     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 22.7°W    01  13:54  Moon at Perigee: 356566 km    01  18:24  FULL MOON     02  22     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98329 AU    03  11:50  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    03  12     Quadrantid Meteor Shower    03  23:48  Moon at Ascending Node     04  23:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    06  17     Mars 0.2°S of Jupiter    08  14:25  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  22     Venus at Superior Conjunction     10  21:59  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    11  02:03  Mars 4.6°S of Moon    13  00     Mercury 0.7°S of Saturn    14  18:10  Moon at Apogee: 406461 km    14  18:13  Saturn 2.6°S of Moon    14  23:24  Mercury 3.4°S of Moon    16  18:17  NEW MOON     18  06:28  Moon at Descending Node     23  09     Venus at Aphelion     24  14:20  FIRST QUARTER MOON     25  03     Mercury at Aphelion     27  02:09  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    30  01:54  Moon at Perigee: 358995 km    30  23:19  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    31  05:27  FULL MOON     31  05:30  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.315    31  10:46  Moon at Ascending Node Feb 01  10:24  Regulus 0.9°S of Moon    07  07:54  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  11:47  Jupiter 4.3°S of Moon    08  21:12  Mars 4.4°S of Moon    11  06:16  Moon at Apogee: 405701 km    11  06:46  Saturn 2.5°S of Moon    11  08:40  Mars 5.0°N of Antares    14  13:11  Moon at Descending Node     15  12:51  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.599    15  13:05  NEW MOON     17  04     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     23  00:09  FIRST QUARTER MOON     23  09:07  Aldebaran 0.7°S of Moon    27  06:48  Moon at Perigee: 363938 km    27  09:28  Beehive 2.3°N of Moon    27  21:03  Moon at Ascending Node     28  21:09  Regulus 0.9°S of MoonMar 01  16:51  FULL MOON     03  22     Mercury 1.1°N of Venus    04  06     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun     06  22:57  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    09  03:20  LAST QUARTER MOON     09  16:37  Mars 3.8°S of Moon    10  03     Mercury at Perihelion     10  18:37  Saturn 2.2°S of Moon    11  01:13  Moon at Apogee: 404682 km    13  19:47  Moon at Descending Node     15  07     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.4°E    17  05:12  NEW MOON     18  11:07  Venus 3.7°N of Moon    19  00     Mercury 3.8°N of Venus    20  08:15  Vernal Equinox     22  14:33  Aldebaran 0.9°S of Moon    24  07:35  FIRST QUARTER MOON     26  09:17  Moon at Perigee: 369104 km    26  16:52  Beehive 2.2°N of Moon    27  02:56  Moon at Ascending Node     28  05:38  Regulus 1.0°S of Moon    31  04:37  FULL MOON Apr 01  10     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     02  11     Mars 1.3°S of Saturn    03  06:14  Jupiter 3.9°S of Moon    07  04:50  Saturn 1.9°S of Moon    07  10:15  Mars 3.1°S of Moon    07  21:32  Moon at Apogee: 404145 km    07  23:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     10  00:09  Moon at Descending Node     14  01:24  Mercury 3.9°N of Moon    15  17:57  NEW MOON     17  04     Saturn at Aphelion: 10.06564 AU    17  11:29  Venus 5.4°N of Moon    18  07     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun     18  20:45  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    20  06:44  Moon at Perigee: 368713 km    22  10     Lyrid Meteor Shower    22  13:46  FIRST QUARTER MOON     22  22:17  Beehive 1.9°N of Moon    23  04:19  Moon at Ascending Node     24  08:47  Venus 3.4°S of Pleiades    24  11:39  Regulus 1.2°S of Moon    29  10     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.0°W    29  16:58  FULL MOON     30  09:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of MoonMay 02  05:29  Venus 6.3°N of Aldebaran    04  12:31  Saturn 1.7°S of Moon    04  23     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower    05  16:35  Moon at Apogee: 404458 km    05  23:24  Mars 2.7°S of Moon    07  02:23  Moon at Descending Node     07  18:09  LAST QUARTER MOON     08  16     Jupiter at Opposition     13  09:21  Mercury 2.4°N of Moon    15  03:48  NEW MOON     15  17     Venus at Perihelion     17  10:11  Venus 4.8°N of Moon    17  13:06  Moon at Perigee: 363777 km    20  03:57  Beehive 1.7°N of Moon    20  05:13  Moon at Ascending Node     21  16:53  Regulus 1.4°S of Moon    21  19:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     27  09:39  Jupiter 4.0°S of Moon    29  06:20  FULL MOON     31  17:20  Saturn 1.6°S of MoonJun 02  08:34  Moon at Apogee: 405316 km    03  03:58  Mars 3.2°S of Moon    03  04:39  Moon at Descending Node     05  18     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     06  02     Mercury at Perihelion     06  10:32  LAST QUARTER MOON     07  19:37  Venus 4.6°S of Pollux    13  11:43  NEW MOON     14  15:55  Moon at Perigee: 359507 km    16  05:13  Venus 2.3°N of Moon    16  09:50  Moon at Ascending Node     16  11:38  Beehive 1.5°N of Moon    17  23:25  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    19  18:21  Venus 0.4°N of Beehive    20  02:51  FIRST QUARTER MOON     21  02:07  Summer Solstice     23  10:47  Jupiter 4.2°S of Moon    24  13:37  Mercury 4.7°S of Pollux    27  04     Saturn at Opposition     27  19:59  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    27  20:53  FULL MOON     29  18:43  Moon at Apogee: 406061 km    30  08:44  Moon at Descending Node     30  17:43  Mars 4.8°S of Moon
Date     PST   Event        (h:m)Jul 03  21:39  Mercury 0.6°S of Beehive    05  23:51  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  09     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01670 AU    09  15:34  Venus 0.9°N of Regulus    10  01:30  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    11  21     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 26.4°E    12  18:48  NEW MOON     12  19:01  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.337    13  00:28  Moon at Perigee: 357432 km    13  18:50  Moon at Ascending Node     14  14:04  Mercury 2.2°S of Moon    15  08:14  Regulus 1.7°S of Moon    15  19:31  Venus 1.6°S of Moon    19  11:52  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  02     Mercury at Aphelion     20  15:57  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    24  08:49  Mercury 1.2°S of Regulus    24  22:10  Saturn 2.0°S of Moon    26  22     Mars at Opposition     26  21:44  Moon at Apogee: 406223 km    27  12:20  FULL MOON     27  12:22  Total Lunar Eclipse; mag=1.609    27  14:40  Moon at Descending Node     28  01     Delta-Aquarid Meteor ShowerAug 04  10:18  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  10:35  Aldebaran 1.1°S of Moon    08  18     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     10  05:40  Moon at Ascending Node     10  10:05  Moon at Perigee: 358083 km    11  01:46  Partial Solar Eclipse; mag=0.737    11  01:58  NEW MOON     12  17     Perseid Meteor Shower    14  05:35  Venus 6.3°S of Moon    17  02:38  Jupiter 4.5°S of Moon    17  08     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.9°E    17  23:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  18:09  Mercury 4.8°S of Beehive    21  01:55  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    23  03:23  Moon at Apogee: 405744 km    23  20:51  Moon at Descending Node     26  03:56  FULL MOON     26  12     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.3°W    31  20:45  Venus 1.0°S of SpicaSep 02  02     Mercury at Perihelion     02  17:34  Aldebaran 1.2°S of Moon    02  18:37  LAST QUARTER MOON     06  14:42  Moon at Ascending Node     06  18:13  Beehive 1.4°N of Moon    07  09     Neptune at Opposition     07  17:21  Moon at Perigee: 361355 km    09  10:01  NEW MOON     13  18:21  Jupiter 4.4°S of Moon    16  05     Mars at Perihelion:  1.38144 AU    16  15:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  08:46  Saturn 2.1°S of Moon    19  16:54  Moon at Apogee: 404875 km    19  22:38  Mars 4.8°S of Moon    20  01:30  Moon at Descending Node     20  18     Mercury at Superior Conjunction     22  17:54  Autumnal Equinox     24  18:52  FULL MOON     29  23:06  Aldebaran 1.4°S of MoonOct 02  01:45  LAST QUARTER MOON     03  19:10  Moon at Ascending Node     04  01:51  Beehive 1.3°N of Moon    05  13:58  Regulus 1.8°S of Moon    05  14:29  Moon at Perigee: 366396 km    08  19:47  NEW MOON     11  13:21  Jupiter 4.1°S of Moon    14  19:01  Saturn 1.8°S of Moon    15  19     Mercury 6.2°N of Venus    16  10:02  FIRST QUARTER MOON     17  04:03  Moon at Descending Node     17  11:16  Moon at Apogee: 404227 km    18  05:01  Mars 1.9°S of Moon    21  09     Orionid Meteor Shower    23  17     Uranus at Opposition     24  08:45  FULL MOON     26  06     Venus at Inferior Conjunction     27  05:04  Aldebaran 1.6°S of Moon    28  22     Mercury 3.1°S of Jupiter    30  19:46  Moon at Ascending Node     31  07:24  Beehive 1.0°N of Moon    31  08:40  LAST QUARTER MOON     31  12:05  Moon at Perigee: 370201 kmNov 01  20:16  Regulus 2.1°S of Moon    05  10     S Taurid Meteor Shower    06  07     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.3°E    07  08:02  NEW MOON     08  20:58  Mercury 1.8°N of Antares    11  07:46  Saturn 1.4°S of Moon    12  09     N Taurid Meteor Shower    13  06:04  Moon at Descending Node     14  07:57  Moon at Apogee: 404341 km    14  15:14  Venus 0.2°S of Spica    15  06:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON     15  20:16  Mars 1.0°N of Moon: Occn.    17  15     Leonid Meteor Shower    22  21:39  FULL MOON     23  13:11  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    25  22     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun     26  04:10  Moon at Perigee: 366623 km    26  21:18  Moon at Ascending Node     27  01     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction     27  12:57  Beehive 0.8°N of Moon    29  01     Mercury at Perihelion     29  01:27  Regulus 2.3°S of Moon    29  16:19  LAST QUARTER MOON Dec 03  10:42  Venus 3.6°S of Moon    05  13:06  Mercury 1.9°S of Moon    06  23:20  NEW MOON     08  21:30  Saturn 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.    10  09:57  Moon at Descending Node     12  04:25  Moon at Apogee: 405177 km    14  04     Geminid Meteor Shower    14  15:21  Mars 3.6°N of Moon    15  03     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 21.3°W    15  03:49  FIRST QUARTER MOON     20  23:31  Aldebaran 1.7°S of Moon    21  12     Mercury 0.8°N of Jupiter    21  14:22  Winter Solstice     22  00:05  Mercury 5.8°N of Antares    22  07:03  Jupiter 5.1°N of Antares    22  09:49  FULL MOON     22  13     Ursid Meteor Shower    24  01:52  Moon at Perigee: 361060 km    24  03:54  Moon at Ascending Node     24  20:52  Beehive 0.6°N of Moon    26  08:06  Regulus 2.5°S of Moon    26  10     Venus at Perihelion     29  01:34  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