2018Calendar of Astronomical Events

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