2012 Sky Event Almanac

Australian Eastern Standard Time

The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Australian Eastern Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time + 10 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.

2012 Sky Event Almanac
Australian Eastern Standard Time
January - June July - December
Date     AEST   Even
        (h:m)

Jan 01  16:15  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    03  06:19  Moon at Apogee: 404580 km
    04  17     Quadrantid Meteor Shower
    05  11     Earth at Perihelion: 0.98328 AU
    05  19:17  Pleiades 2.8°N of Moon
    07  00:30  Moon at Descending Node 
    09  17:30  FULL MOON 
    16  17:21  Spica 2.0°N of Moon
    16  19:08  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    18  07:28  Moon at Perigee: 369883 km
    18  16     Mercury at Aphelion 
    19  20:59  Antares 4.2°S of Moon
    20  04:26  Moon at Ascending Node 
    23  17:39  NEW MOON 
    31  03:42  Moon at Apogee: 404325 km
    31  14:10  FIRST QUARTER MOON 

Feb 02  03:42  Pleiades 3.0°N of Moon
    03  06:02  Moon at Descending Node 
    07  19     Mercury at Superior Conjunction 
    08  07:54  FULL MOON 
    12  04:32  Moon at Perigee: 367920 km
    12  22:47  Spica 1.8°N of Moon
    15  03:04  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    16  02:35  Antares 4.4°S of Moon
    16  06:16  Moon at Ascending Node 
    16  07     Mars at Aphelion:  1.66598 AU
    20  06     Neptune in Conjunction with Sun 
    22  08:35  NEW MOON 
    26  07:44  Venus 3.3°S of Moon
    27  16:16  Jupiter 3.8°S of Moon
    28  00:01  Moon at Apogee: 404864 km
    29  11:46  Pleiades 3.3°N of Moon

Mar 01  08:37  Moon at Descending Node 
    01  11:22  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    02  15     Mercury at Perihelion 
    04  05     Mars at Opposition 
    05  19     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E
    08  19:40  FULL MOON 
    10  20:02  Moon at Perigee: 362401 km
    11  06:20  Spica 1.5°N of Moon
    14  06:41  Moon at Ascending Node 
    14  08     Venus 3.0°N of Jupiter
    14  08:10  Antares 4.7°S of Moon
    15  11:25  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    20  15:15  Vernal Equinox 
    21  11     Venus at Perihelion 
    22  05     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction 
    23  00:37  NEW MOON 
    25  04     Uranus in Conjunction with Sun 
    26  09:57  Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon
    26  16:04  Moon at Apogee: 405780 km
    27  04:21  Venus 1.8°N of Moon
    27  17     Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.0°E
    27  18:56  Pleiades 3.5°N of Moon
    28  10:19  Moon at Descending Node 
    31  05:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON 

Apr 03  23:18  Venus 0.4°S of Pleiades
    07  05:19  FULL MOON 
    07  16:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon
    08  02:59  Moon at Perigee: 358314 km
    10  10:47  Moon at Ascending Node 
    10  15:54  Antares 4.9°S of Moon
    13  20:50  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    16  04     Saturn at Opposition 
    16  12:18  Mars 0.7°N of Regulus
    19  03     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.5°W
    21  17:18  NEW MOON 
    22  15     Lyrid Meteor Shower
    22  23:49  Moon at Apogee: 406422 km
    23  04:30  Jupiter 2.4°S of Moon
    24  01:15  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon
    24  13:43  Moon at Descending Node 
    29  19:58  FIRST QUARTER MOON 

May 05  03:26  Spica 1.5°N of Moon
    05  04     Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
    06  13:33  Moon at Perigee: 356954 km
    06  13:35  FULL MOON 
    07  19:43  Moon at Ascending Node 
    08  01:57  Antares 5.0°S of Moon
    13  07:47  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    13  23     Jupiter in Conjunction with Sun 
    20  02:13  Moon at Apogee: 406451 km
    21  09:47  NEW MOON 
    21  09:53  Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.944
    21  19:20  Moon at Descending Node 
    27  21     Mercury at Superior Conjunction 
    29  06:16  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    29  15     Mercury at Perihelion 

Jun 01  13:24  Spica 1.5°N of Moon
    03  23:19  Moon at Perigee: 358483 km
    04  06:38  Moon at Ascending Node 
    04  12:51  Antares 5.0°S of Moon
    04  21:03  Partial Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.370
    04  21:12  FULL MOON 
    06  11     Venus at Inferior Conjunction 
    11  19:30  Jupiter 4.7°S of Pleiades
    11  20:41  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    16  11:24  Moon at Apogee: 405791 km
    17  13:34  Pleiades 3.6°N of Moon
    17  18:23  Jupiter 1.1°S of Moon: Occn.
    18  01:43  Moon at Descending Node 
    18  10:47  Venus 2.1°S of Moon
    20  01:02  NEW MOON 
    21  09:08  Summer Solstice 
    21  20:33  Venus 2.2°N of Aldebaran
    27  13:30  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    28  21:04  Spica 1.4°N of Moon

Date     AEST   Even
        (h:m)

Jul 01  12     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.7°E
    01  15:45  Moon at Ascending Node 
    01  18     Venus 4.8°S of Jupiter
    01  22:42  Antares 5.0°S of Moon
    02  04:01  Moon at Perigee: 362363 km
    04  04:52  FULL MOON 
    05  14     Earth at Aphelion: 1.01668 AU
    09  14:13  Venus 0.9°N of Aldebaran
    11  11:48  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    11  20     Venus at Aphelion 
    12  14     Mercury at Aphelion 
    14  02:47  Moon at Apogee: 404783 km
    14  20:34  Pleiades 3.7°N of Moon
    15  06:55  Moon at Descending Node 
    15  13:02  Jupiter 0.5°S of Moon: Occn.
    16  01:29  Venus 3.8°S of Moon
    19  14:24  NEW MOON 
    25  08:07  Mars 4.2°N of Moon
    26  02:43  Spica 1.2°N of Moon
    26  18:56  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    28  06     Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
    28  20:34  Moon at Ascending Node 
    29  06     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction 
    29  18:30  Moon at Perigee: 367318 km
    29  21:45  Jupiter 4.6°N of Aldebaran

Aug 02  13:27  FULL MOON 
    02  23:36  Saturn 4.0°N of Spica
    10  04:55  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    10  20:52  Moon at Apogee: 404125 km
    11  04:12  Pleiades 3.9°N of Moon
    11  10:04  Moon at Descending Node 
    12  06:25  Jupiter 0.1°N of Moon: Occn.
    12  22     Perseid Meteor Shower
    14  05:41  Venus 0.6°S of Moon: Occn.
    14  08:45  Mars 1.6°N of Spica
    15  20     Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W
    16  04     Mars 2.7°S of Saturn
    16  15:06  Mercury 3.6°N of Moon
    16  22     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.7°W
    18  01:55  NEW MOON 
    22  08:04  Spica 1.0°N of Moon
    22  17:50  Mars 2.3°N of Moon
    24  05:39  Moon at Perigee: 369731 km
    24  21     Neptune at Opposition 
    24  21:38  Moon at Ascending Node 
    24  23:54  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    25  14     Mercury at Perihelion 
    31  23:58  FULL MOON 

Sep 07  12:04  Pleiades 4.2°N of Moon
    07  12:08  Moon at Descending Node 
    07  16:00  Moon at Apogee: 404296 km
    08  11:23  Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon
    08  20:59  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.
    08  23:15  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    10  23     Mercury at Superior Conjunction 
    13  03:09  Venus 3.7°N of Moon
    16  12:11  NEW MOON 
    18  15:05  Spica 0.8°N of Moon
    19  00:45  Saturn 5.0°N of Moon
    19  12:52  Moon at Perigee: 365749 km
    20  06:36  Mars 0.2°N of Moon: Occn.
    20  22:54  Moon at Ascending Node 
    23  00:49  Autumnal Equinox 
    23  05:41  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    29  17     Uranus at Opposition 
    30  13:19  FULL MOON 

Oct 01  20:56  Mercury 1.5°N of Spica
    03  13:35  Venus 0.1°S of Regulus
    04  15:15  Moon at Descending Node 
    04  19:36  Pleiades 4.4°N of Moon
    05  10:43  Moon at Apogee: 405162 km
    05  18     Mercury 3.2°S of Saturn
    05  18:58  Aldebaran 4.3°S of Moon
    06  06:50  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
    08  17:33  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    15  22:02  NEW MOON 
    17  11:02  Moon at Perigee: 360673 km
    17  11:43  Mercury 1.3°S of Moon
    18  04:27  Moon at Ascending Node 
    18  23:06  Mars 2.0°S of Moon
    21  06:07  Mars 3.5°N of Antares
    21  14     Orionid Meteor Shower
    22  13:32  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    25  18     Saturn in Conjunction with Sun 
    27  08     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 24.1°E
    30  05:50  FULL MOON 
    31  20:36  Moon at Descending Node 

Nov 01  02:28  Pleiades 4.5°N of Moon
    01  04     Venus at Perihelion 
    02  01:30  Moon at Apogee: 406050 km
    02  01:49  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon
    02  10:58  Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
    05  15     S Taurid Meteor Shower
    07  10:36  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    12  11:42  Spica 0.8°N of Moon
    12  14     N Taurid Meteor Shower
    13  07:04  Saturn 4.3°N of Moon
    14  08:08  NEW MOON 
    14  08:12  Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.050
    14  14:37  Moon at Ascending Node 
    14  20:21  Moon at Perigee: 357361 km
    16  19:40  Mars 4.0°S of Moon
    17  11:22  Venus 3.6°N of Spica
    17  20     Leonid Meteor Shower
    18  02     Mercury at Inferior Conjunction 
    21  00:31  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    21  13     Mercury at Perihelion 
    27  15     Venus 0.5°S of Saturn
    28  03:05  Moon at Descending Node 
    28  08:46  Pleiades 4.5°N of Moon
    29  00:33  Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.915
    29  00:46  FULL MOON 
    29  05:35  Moon at Apogee: 406366 km
    29  08:06  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon
    29  10:46  Jupiter 0.6°N of Moon: Occn.

Dec 03  11     Jupiter at Opposition 
    05  09     Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.6°W
    07  01:32  LAST QUARTER MOON 
    09  22:04  Spica 0.8°N of Moon
    10  22:46  Saturn 4.0°N of Moon
    11  23:48  Venus 1.6°N of Moon
    12  01:57  Moon at Ascending Node 
    12  10:44  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon: Occn.
    13  09:14  Moon at Perigee: 357074 km
    13  15:18  Jupiter 4.7°N of Aldebaran
    13  18:42  NEW MOON 
    14  09     Geminid Meteor Shower
    20  15:19  FIRST QUARTER MOON 
    21  21:12  Winter Solstice 
    22  18     Ursid Meteor Shower
    25  08:27  Moon at Descending Node 
    25  15:00  Pleiades 4.5°N of Moon
    26  07:19  Moon at Apogee: 406101 km
    26  10:02  Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.
    26  14:23  Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon
    28  20:21  FULL MOON 

    

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

2012 Phases of the Moon

Australian Eastern Standard Time

The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Australian Eastern Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time + 10 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.

2012 Phases of the Moon
Australian Eastern Standard Time
New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter
- Jan 01 16:15 Jan 09 17:30 Jan 16 19:08
Jan 23 17:39 Jan 31 14:10 Feb 08 07:54 Feb 15 03:04
Feb 22 08:35 Mar 01 11:22 Mar 08 19:40 Mar 15 11:25
Mar 23 00:37 Mar 31 05:41 Apr 07 05:19 Apr 13 20:50
Apr 21 17:18 Apr 29 19:58 May 06 13:35 May 13 07:47
May 21 09:47 A May 29 06:16 Jun 04 21:12 p Jun 11 20:41
Jun 20 01:02 Jun 27 13:30 Jul 04 04:52 Jul 11 11:48
Jul 19 14:24 Jul 26 18:56 Aug 02 13:27 Aug 10 04:55
Aug 18 01:54 Aug 24 23:54 Aug 31 23:58 Sep 08 23:15
Sep 16 12:11 Sep 23 05:41 Sep 30 13:19 Oct 08 17:33
Oct 15 22:02 Oct 22 13:32 Oct 30 05:50 Nov 07 10:36
Nov 14 08:08 T Nov 21 00:31 Nov 29 00:46 n Dec 07 01:32
Dec 13 18:42 Dec 20 15:19 Dec 28 20:21 -

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

Asia & Oceania

Below are links to sky event almanacs from 2011 to 2020 for ten time zones in Asia & Oceania.
Choose a time zone and click on a year to get a sky event almanac for that year.

Sky Event Almanacs - Asia & Oceania
PKT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
IST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
BST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
ICT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
AWST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
JST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
ACT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
AEST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
NCT 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
NZST 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

        Time Zones Abbreviations
        • PKT = Pakistan Standard Time (= UTC + 5 hours)
        • IST = Indian Standard Time (= UTC + 5.5 hours)
        • BST = Bangladesh Standard Time (= UTC + 6 hours)
        • ICT = Indochina Time (= UTC + 7 hours)
        • AWST = Australian Western Standard Time (= UTC + 8 hours)
        • JST = Japan Standard Time (= UTC + 9 hours)
        • ACT = Australian Central Time (= UTC + 9.5 hours)
        • AEST = Australian Eastern Standard Time (= UTC + 10 hours)
        • NCT = New Caledonia Time (= UTC + 11 hours)
        • NZST = New Zealand Standard Time (= UTC + 12 hours)
          (where UTC = Coordinated Universal Time)

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

book

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)