2020 Sky Event Almanac
Mountain Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for the year. The times listed are for Mountain Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time − 7 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 | ||||||||
| Mountain Standard Time | ||||||||
| January - June | July - December | |||||||
Date MST Event
(h:m)
Jan 01 18:30 Moon at Apogee: 404580 km
02 21:45 FIRST QUARTER MOON
04 02 Quadrantid Meteor Shower
05 01 Earth at Perihelion: 0.98324 AU
07 14:09 Aldebaran 3.0°S of Moon
09 16:29 Moon at Ascending Node
10 08 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
10 12:10 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.896
10 12:21 FULL MOON
13 04:37 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
13 07 Saturn in Conjunction with Sun
13 13:20 Moon at Perigee: 365964 km
17 05:58 LAST QUARTER MOON
17 16:03 Mars 4.7°N of Antares
20 12:13 Mars 2.3°S of Moon
22 13:31 Moon at Descending Node
22 19:42 Jupiter 0.4°N of Moon: Occn.
24 14:42 NEW MOON
28 00:29 Venus 4.1°N of Moon
29 14:28 Moon at Apogee: 405390 km
Feb 01 18:42 FIRST QUARTER MOON
03 23:53 Aldebaran 3.1°S of Moon
06 01:59 Moon at Ascending Node
09 00:33 FULL MOON
09 14:15 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
10 07 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 18.2°E
10 13:31 Moon at Perigee: 360464 km
11 22 Mercury at Perihelion
15 15:17 LAST QUARTER MOON
18 06:18 Mars 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.
18 17:12 Moon at Descending Node
19 12:36 Jupiter 0.9°N of Moon: Occn.
20 06:47 Saturn 1.7°N of Moon
23 08:32 NEW MOON
25 19 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
26 04:35 Moon at Apogee: 406277 km
Mar 02 08:16 Aldebaran 3.3°S of Moon
02 12:57 FIRST QUARTER MOON
04 07:58 Moon at Ascending Node
08 01:23 Regulus 3.8°S of Moon
08 05 Neptune in Conjunction with Sun
09 10:48 FULL MOON
09 23:33 Moon at Perigee: 357123 km
16 02:34 LAST QUARTER MOON
16 18:00 Moon at Descending Node
18 01:19 Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.
18 03:18 Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon
18 17:04 Saturn 2.1°N of Moon
19 20:50 Vernal Equinox
19 21 Venus at Perihelion
20 03 Mars 0.7°S of Jupiter
21 10:48 Mercury 3.6°N of Moon
23 19 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 27.8°W
24 02:28 NEW MOON
24 08:23 Moon at Apogee: 406690 km
24 15 Venus at Greatest Elong: 46.1°E
26 22 Mercury at Aphelion
29 14:52 Aldebaran 3.6°S of Moon
31 09:51 Moon at Ascending Node
31 13 Mars 0.9°S of Saturn
Apr 01 03:21 FIRST QUARTER MOON
03 07:36 Venus 0.3°S of Pleiades
04 11:45 Regulus 3.9°S of Moon
07 11:08 Moon at Perigee: 356909 km
07 19:35 FULL MOON
12 19:58 Moon at Descending Node
14 15:56 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 16:04 Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon
15 02:26 Saturn 2.5°N of Moon
15 21:33 Mars 2.0°N of Moon
20 12:01 Moon at Apogee: 406463 km
21 23 Lyrid Meteor Shower
22 19:26 NEW MOON
25 20:34 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
26 03 Uranus in Conjunction with Sun
27 10:54 Moon at Ascending Node
29 07:19 Pollux 4.7°N of Moon
30 13:38 FIRST QUARTER MOON
May 01 19:49 Regulus 4.2°S of Moon
04 12 Eta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
04 14 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
05 20:03 Moon at Perigee: 359656 km
07 03:45 FULL MOON
09 21 Mercury at Perihelion
10 02:01 Moon at Descending Node
12 02:40 Jupiter 2.3°N of Moon
12 11:18 Saturn 2.7°N of Moon
14 07:03 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 19:00 Mars 2.8°N of Moon
17 19 Jupiter 4.8°S of Saturn
18 00:45 Moon at Apogee: 405584 km
22 03 Mercury 0.9°S of Venus
22 10:39 NEW MOON
23 19:40 Venus 3.7°N of Moon
24 03:53 Mercury 2.8°N of Moon
24 14:34 Moon at Ascending Node
26 12:43 Pollux 4.6°N of Moon
29 01:44 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
29 20:30 FIRST QUARTER MOON
Jun 02 20:36 Moon at Perigee: 364366 km
03 11 Venus at Inferior Conjunction
04 06 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 23.6°E
05 12:12 FULL MOON
05 12:25 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.568
06 11:10 Moon at Descending Node
08 10:19 Jupiter 2.2°N of Moon
08 19:19 Saturn 2.7°N of Moon
12 16:53 Mars 2.7°N of Moon
12 23:24 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 17:56 Moon at Apogee: 404597 km
19 01:52 Venus 0.7°S of Moon: Occn.
19 09:56 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
20 14:43 Summer Solstice
20 21:24 Moon at Ascending Node
20 23:40 Annular Solar Eclipse; mag=0.994
20 23:41 NEW MOON
22 18:53 Pollux 4.5°N of Moon
25 07:09 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
28 01:16 FIRST QUARTER MOON
29 19:09 Moon at Perigee: 368958 km
30 20 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
|
Date MST Event
(h:m)
Jul 03 20:18 Moon at Descending Node
04 06 Earth at Aphelion: 1.01669 AU
04 21:30 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.355
04 21:44 FULL MOON
05 14:37 Jupiter 1.9°N of Moon
06 01:45 Saturn 2.5°N of Moon
10 05 Venus at Aphelion
11 05:10 Venus 1.0°N of Aldebaran
11 12:36 Mars 2.0°N of Moon
12 12:27 Moon at Apogee: 404201 km
12 16:29 LAST QUARTER MOON
14 00 Jupiter at Opposition
16 18:21 Aldebaran 3.8°S of Moon
17 00:26 Venus 3.1°S of Moon
18 05:33 Moon at Ascending Node
18 20:54 Mercury 3.9°S of Moon
20 10:33 NEW MOON
20 15 Saturn at Opposition
22 08 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 20.1°W
22 13:50 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
24 21:54 Moon at Perigee: 368367 km
27 05:32 FIRST QUARTER MOON
27 14 Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower
31 02:32 Moon at Descending Node
Aug 01 16:30 Jupiter 1.5°N of Moon
02 06:17 Saturn 2.3°N of Moon
03 02 Mars at Perihelion: 1.38138 AU
03 08:59 FULL MOON
05 21 Mercury at Perihelion
09 00:57 Mars 0.8°N of Moon: Occn.
09 06:51 Moon at Apogee: 404658 km
11 09:45 LAST QUARTER MOON
12 06 Perseid Meteor Shower
12 18 Venus at Greatest Elong: 45.8°W
13 03:06 Aldebaran 4.0°S of Moon
14 12:22 Moon at Ascending Node
15 06:01 Venus 4.0°S of Moon
16 12:10 Pollux 4.5°N of Moon
17 08 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
18 19:41 NEW MOON
21 03:59 Moon at Perigee: 363513 km
25 10:58 FIRST QUARTER MOON
27 04:52 Moon at Descending Node
28 18:33 Jupiter 1.4°N of Moon
29 09:40 Saturn 2.2°N of Moon
Sep 01 22:22 FULL MOON
05 21:42 Mars 0.0°S of Moon: Occn.
05 23:31 Moon at Apogee: 405606 km
09 11:12 Aldebaran 4.2°S of Moon
10 02:26 LAST QUARTER MOON
10 16:05 Moon at Ascending Node
11 12 Neptune at Opposition
12 21:50 Pollux 4.3°N of Moon
13 21:43 Venus 4.5°S of Moon
15 08:51 Regulus 4.3°S of Moon
17 04:00 NEW MOON
18 06:44 Moon at Perigee: 359081 km
18 20 Mercury at Aphelion
21 23:06 Mercury 0.3°N of Spica
22 06:31 Autumnal Equinox
23 05:33 Moon at Descending Node
23 18:55 FIRST QUARTER MOON
24 23:46 Jupiter 1.6°N of Moon
25 13:46 Saturn 2.3°N of Moon
Oct 01 09 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 25.8°E
01 14:05 FULL MOON
02 10:09 Venus 0.1°S of Regulus
02 20:21 Mars 0.7°N of Moon: Occn.
03 10:22 Moon at Apogee: 406321 km
06 18:02 Aldebaran 4.5°S of Moon
07 17:29 Moon at Ascending Node
09 17:39 LAST QUARTER MOON
10 06:18 Pollux 4.1°N of Moon
12 18:59 Regulus 4.5°S of Moon
13 16 Mars at Opposition
13 16:57 Venus 4.3°S of Moon
16 12:31 NEW MOON
16 16:46 Moon at Perigee: 356913 km
20 08:53 Moon at Descending Node
20 22 Orionid Meteor Shower
22 10:10 Jupiter 2.0°N of Moon
22 20:49 Saturn 2.6°N of Moon
23 06:23 FIRST QUARTER MOON
25 11 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
29 09:13 Mars 3.0°N of Moon
30 11:46 Moon at Apogee: 406393 km
30 14 Venus at Perihelion
31 07:49 FULL MOON
31 09 Uranus at Opposition
Nov 01 20 Mercury at Perihelion
03 19:39 Moon at Ascending Node
04 23 S Taurid Meteor Shower
06 12:52 Pollux 3.9°N of Moon
08 06:46 LAST QUARTER MOON
09 03:20 Regulus 4.7°S of Moon
10 10 Mercury at Greatest Elong: 19.1°W
11 22 N Taurid Meteor Shower
12 14:30 Venus 3.1°S of Moon
13 13:45 Mercury 1.7°S of Moon
14 04:48 Moon at Perigee: 357839 km
14 22:07 NEW MOON
16 06:27 Venus 3.6°N of Spica
16 17:07 Moon at Descending Node
17 04 Leonid Meteor Shower
19 01:54 Jupiter 2.5°N of Moon
19 07:57 Saturn 2.9°N of Moon
21 21:45 FIRST QUARTER MOON
26 17:29 Moon at Apogee: 405891 km
30 02:30 FULL MOON
30 02:43 Pen. Lunar Eclipse; mag=0.829
Dec 01 00:46 Moon at Ascending Node
03 18:24 Pollux 3.8°N of Moon
06 09:28 Regulus 4.8°S of Moon
07 17:37 LAST QUARTER MOON
12 13:40 Venus 0.8°S of Moon: Occn.
12 13:42 Moon at Perigee: 361777 km
13 18 Geminid Meteor Shower
14 04:03 Moon at Descending Node
14 09:13 Total Solar Eclipse; mag=1.025
14 09:17 NEW MOON
16 21:28 Jupiter 2.9°N of Moon
16 22:25 Saturn 3.1°N of Moon
19 20 Mercury at Superior Conjunction
21 03:03 Winter Solstice
21 16:41 FIRST QUARTER MOON
22 02 Ursid Meteor Shower
22 02 Jupiter 0.1°S of Saturn
24 09:32 Moon at Apogee: 405010 km
28 08:03 Moon at Ascending Node
29 20:28 FULL MOON
31 00:41 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
Mountain Standard Time
The following table gives the date and time of the Moon's phases for the year. The times listed are for Mountain Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time − 7 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 | |||
| Mountain Standard Time | |||
| New Moon | First Quarter | Full Moon | Last Quarter |
| - | Jan 02 21:45 | Jan 10 12:21 n | Jan 17 05:58 |
| Jan 24 14:42 | Feb 01 18:42 | Feb 09 00:33 | Feb 15 15:17 |
| Feb 23 08:32 | Mar 02 12:57 | Mar 09 10:48 | Mar 16 02:34 |
| Mar 24 02:28 | Apr 01 03:21 | Apr 07 19:35 | Apr 14 15:56 |
| Apr 22 19:26 | Apr 30 13:38 | May 07 03:45 | May 14 07:03 |
| May 22 10:39 | May 29 20:30 | Jun 05 12:12 n | Jun 12 23:24 |
| Jun 20 23:41 A | Jun 28 01:16 | Jul 04 21:44 n | Jul 12 16:29 |
| Jul 20 10:33 | Jul 27 05:32 | Aug 03 08:59 | Aug 11 09:45 |
| Aug 18 19:41 | Aug 25 10:58 | Sep 01 22:22 | Sep 10 02:26 |
| Sep 17 04:00 | Sep 23 18:55 | Oct 01 14:05 | Oct 09 17:39 |
| Oct 16 12:31 | Oct 23 06:23 | Oct 31 07:49 | Nov 08 06:46 |
| Nov 14 22:07 | Nov 21 21:45 | Nov 30 02:30 n | Dec 07 17:37 |
| Dec 14 09:17 T | Dec 21 16:41 | Dec 29 20:28 | - |
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)