Astronomical Calendar for 2019

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January
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
Close approach of the Moon and Venus
2
Saturn at solar conjunction
M41 is well placed
The Earth at perihelion
3 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
4 Quadrantid meteor shower
5 Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
Venus at dichotomy
New Moon
6 Partial solar eclipse
The Moon at perihelion
Venus at greatest elongation west
9 The Moon at apogee
11 134340 Pluto at solar conjunction
12 Mercury at aphelion
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
13
Close approach of the Moon and Mars
Moon at First Quarter
14
M47 is well placed
15 NGC 2403 is well placed
17 NGC 2451 is well placed
18 C/2017 M4 (ATLAS) at perihelion
20 NGC 2516 is well placed
Total lunar eclipse
21 Full Moon
Close approach of the Moon and M44
22 The Moon at perigee
January
The Moon at aphelion
Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter
Close approach of Venus and Jupiter
23 NGC 2547 is well placed
28 Moon at Last Quarter
30 Mercury at superior solar conjunction
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
31 M44 is well placed
IC2391 is well placed
IC2395 is well placed

February
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
1
Close approach of the Moon and Venus
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
2
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
3 The Moon at perihelion
New Moon
5 Asteroid 532 Herculina at opposition
The Moon at apogee
8 NGC 2808 is well placed
10 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
Moon at First Quarter
13
Close approach of Mars and Uranus
14 Conjunction of Mars and Uranus
Close approach of the Moon and M44
18 Close approach of Venus and Saturn
Conjunction of Venus and Saturn
The Moon at perigee
Conjunction of Mercury and Neptune
19
Full Moon
M81 is well placed
The Moon at aphelion
21
NGC 3114 is well placed
January
23 Conjunction of Venus and Pluto
25 Mercury at perihelion
Moon at Last Quarter
26
Mercury at dichotomy
Mercury at greatest elongation east
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
27
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
IC2581 is well placed

March
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
2
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
3
Close approach of the Moon and Venus
4 The Moon at perihelion
3 IC2602 is well placed
4 The Moon at apogee
6 New Moon
7 Neptune at solar conjunction
9 NGC 3532 is well placed
11 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
14 Moon at First Quarter
15 Mercury at inferior solar conjunction
17 Close approach of the Moon and M44
18 69P/Taylor at perihelion
20 The Moon at perigee
March equinox
21
Full Moon
22 Conjunction of Mercury and Neptune
23 The Moon at aphelion
26 136472 Makemake at opposition
January
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
27
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
28 Moon at Last Quarter
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
29 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto

April
The Moon at apogee
1
M104 is well placed
The Moon at perihelion
2 Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
Close approach of the Moon and Venus
Conjunction of Mercury and Neptune
3
Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
4 M94 is well placed
New Moon
5 Asteroid 7 Iris at opposition
NGC 4755 is well placed
6 Asteroid 2 Pallas at opposition
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
9
Close approach of the Moon and Mars
Conjunction of Venus and Neptune
10
Mercury at aphelion
11 Mercury at greatest elongation west
12 Virginid meteor shower
Moon at First Quarter
13
Mercury at dichotomy
136199 Eris at solar conjunction
14
Close approach of the Moon and M44
NGC 5128 is well placed
13
Omega-Cen is well placed
14 M51 is well placed
16 136108 Haumea at opposition
April
17 The Moon at perigee
16 M83 is well placed
17 M3 is well placed
18 Venus at aphelion
19 Full Moon
22 The Moon at aphelion
Uranus at solar conjunction
Lyrid meteor shower
23 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
M101 is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
25
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
26 Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
27 Moon at Last Quarter
28 α–Scorpiid meteor shower
29 The Moon at apogee

May
C/2017 M4 (ATLAS) reaches its brightest
2 The Moon at perihelion
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
3 Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
5 New Moon
6 η–Aquarid meteor shower
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
8 Close approach of the Moon and Mars
Conjunction of Mercury and Uranus
11 Close approach of the Moon and M44
Moon at First Quarter
12 Asteroid 8 Flora at opposition
M5 is well placed
13 α–Scorpiid meteor shower
April
The Moon at perigee
14
Asteroid 11 Parthenope at opposition
18 Conjunction of Venus and Uranus
19 Blue Moon
Asteroid 20 Massalia at opposition
20
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
21 The Moon at aphelion
Mercury at superior solar conjunction
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
23 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
24 Mercury at perihelion
The Moon at apogee
26
Moon at Last Quarter
28 M4 is well placed
1 Ceres at opposition
29
Dwarf Planet 1 Ceres at opposition

June
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
2 The Moon at perihelion
M13 is well placed
New Moon
3
M12 is well placed
4 Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
Close approach of the Moon and Mars
5
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
6 M10 is well placed
7 Close approach of the Moon and M44
8 The Moon at perigee
7 M62 is well placed
Ophiuchid meteor shower
10
Moon at First Quarter
June
Jupiter at opposition
11 M92 is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
17
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
16 NGC 6388 is well placed
Full Moon
17 M6 is well placed
NGC 6397 is well placed
Mercury at dichotomy
18 The Moon at aphelion
Conjunction of Mercury and Mars
19 Close approach of Mercury and Mars
18 IC4665 is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
19 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
Ophiuchid meteor shower
20
M7 is well placed
21 June solstice
The Moon at apogee
23
NGC 6530 is well placed
Mercury at greatest elongation east
24
NGC 6541 is well placed
25 Moon at Last Quarter
29 NGC 6633 is well placed

July
M22 is well placed
1
IC4756 is well placed
The Moon at perihelion
2
Asteroid 18 Melpomene at opposition
New Moon
3
Total solar eclipse
4 Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
June
Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
Close approach of the Moon and M44
The Earth at aphelion
5
The Moon at perigee
Mercury at aphelion
7
Conjunction of Mars and Mercury
8 Capricornid meteor shower
Moon at First Quarter
9
Saturn at opposition
10 NGC 6752 is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
14 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
134340 Pluto at opposition
15 Capricornid meteor shower
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
16 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
The Moon at aphelion
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
Partial lunar eclipse
17
Full Moon
M55 is well placed
The Moon at apogee
21 α–Cygnid meteor shower
Mercury at inferior solar conjunction
25 Moon at Last Quarter
26 Capricornid meteor shower
29 δ–Aquarid meteor shower
Piscis Australid meteor shower
31
Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury

August
1 New Moon
The Moon at perihelion
2 α–Capricornid meteor shower
The Moon at perigee
August
6 τ–Aquarid meteor shower
7 Asteroid 16 Psyche at opposition
Moon at First Quarter
8
Venus at perihelion
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
10 Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
Mercury at greatest elongation west
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
12
Mercury at dichotomy
Asteroid 15 Eunomia at opposition
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
13
Perseid meteor shower
The Moon at aphelion
14 Venus at superior solar conjunction
M15 is well placed
Venus at greatest brightness
15 Full Moon
M2 is well placed
Asteroid 39 Laetitia at opposition
17
The Moon at apogee
20 Mercury at perihelion
21 α–Cygnid meteor shower
23 Moon at Last Quarter
26 Mars at aphelion
28 Close approach of the Moon and M44
29 Mars at apogee
New Moon
30
The Moon at perigee

September
1 The Moon at perihelion
2 Mars at solar conjunction
4 Mercury at superior solar conjunction
August
Asteroid 135 Hertha at opposition
Moon at First Quarter
6
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
8
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
Piscid meteor shower
9
Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
10 Neptune at opposition
11 The Moon at aphelion
13 The Moon at apogee
14 Full Moon
21 Piscid meteor shower
22 Moon at Last Quarter
23 September equinox
Close approach of the Moon and M44
25
NGC 55 is well placed
27 47-Tuc is well placed
Asteroid 21 Lutetia at opposition
28
The Moon at perigee
New Moon
29
136472 Makemake at solar conjunction
30 Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury

October
The Moon at perihelion
1
M110 is well placed
M32 is well placed
2
M31 is well placed
3 Mercury at aphelion
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
4
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
3 NGC 253 is well placed
October
4 SMC is well placed
5 Moon at First Quarter
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
6
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
5 NGC 300 is well placed
6 Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
7 NGC 362 is well placed
10 The Moon at aphelion
11 The Moon at apogee
13 Asteroid 29 Amphitrite at opposition
14 Full Moon
15 M33 is well placed
17 136199 Eris at opposition
136108 Haumea at solar conjunction
20
Mercury at greatest elongation east
Orionid meteor shower
21
Moon at Last Quarter
22 Close approach of the Moon and M44
Mercury at dichotomy
25
Asteroid 9 Metis at opposition
Conjunction of Jupiter and Ceres
The Moon at perigee
26
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
NGC 869 is well placed
27 NGC 884 is well placed
New Moon
28
Uranus at opposition
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
29
Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
Conjunction of Venus and Mercury
30
The Moon at perihelion
31 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
October
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter

November
1 Fornax is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
2
Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
3 Close approach of the Moon and Pluto
4 Moon at First Quarter
5 Taurid meteor shower
7 The Moon at apogee
10 The Moon at aphelion
Mercury at inferior solar conjunction
11
Transit of Mercury
Taurid meteor shower
12 Asteroid 4 Vesta at opposition
Full Moon
16 Mercury at perihelion
Leonid meteor shower
18 Close approach of the Moon and M44
M45 is well placed
20 Moon at Last Quarter
23 The Moon at perigee
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
24 Close approach of Venus and Jupiter
Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter
Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
25
Mercury at dichotomy
26 New Moon
The Moon at perihelion
Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
28
Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter
Mercury at greatest elongation west
Venus at aphelion
29
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
October
Close approach of the Moon and Venus
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
30 Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
Conjunction of Venus and Ceres

December
4 Moon at First Quarter
5 The Moon at apogee
9 Puppid–Velid meteor shower
The Moon at aphelion
11 Conjunction of Venus and Saturn
Close approach of Venus and Saturn
Full Moon
12
LMC is well placed
13 Conjunction of Venus and Pluto
14 Geminid meteor shower
Close approach of the Moon and M44
15
NGC 1981 is well placed
The Moon at perigee
19
Moon at Last Quarter
Ursid meteor shower
22
December solstice
Conjunction of the Moon and Mars
23
Close approach of the Moon and Mars
Puppid–Velid meteor shower
26 New Moon
Annular solar eclipse
The Moon at perihelion
27
Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
Jupiter at solar conjunction
28
NGC 2232 is well placed
Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
29 Close approach of the Moon and Venus
NGC 2244 is well placed
30 Mercury at aphelion
Import these events into your calendar

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)

 January 3, 4 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower. The Quadrantids is an above

average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be
produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1,
which was discovered in 2003. The shower runs annually from January 1-5. It
peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. The moon will
be a thin crescent and should not interfere with what could be a good show
this year. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors
will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 January 6 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth
as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 01:28
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 January 6 - Venus at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Venus reaches
greatest eastern elongation of 47 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to
view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the
morning sky. Look for the bright planet in the eastern sky before sunrise.
 January 6 - Partial Solar Eclipse. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon
covers only a part of the Sun, sometimes resembling a bite taken out of a
cookie. A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar
filter or by looking at the Sun's reflection. The partial eclipse will be visible in
parts of eastern Asia and the northern Pacific Ocean. It will be best seen from
northeastern Russia with 62% coverage.
(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
 January 21 - Full Moon, Supermoon. The Moon will be located on the
opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully
illuminated. This phase occurs at 05:16 UTC. This full moon was known by
early Native American tribes as the Full Wolf Moon because this was the time
of year when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. This moon has
also been know as the Old Moon and the Moon After Yule. This is also the
first of three supermoons for 2019. The Moon will be at its closest approach to
the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
 January 22 - Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. A conjunction of Venus and
Jupiter will be visible on January 22. The two bright planets will be visible
within 2.4 degrees of each other in the early morning sky. Look for this
impressive sight in the east just before sunrise.
 January 21 - Total Lunar Eclipse. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon
passes completely through the Earth's dark shadow, or umbra. During this type
of eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or
blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America,
South America, the eastern Pacific Ocean, western Atlantic Ocean, extreme
western Europe, and extreme western Africa.
(NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
 February 4 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth
as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 21:03
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 February 19 - Full Moon, Supermoon. The Moon will be located on the
opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully
illuminated. This phase occurs at 15:53 UTC. This full moon was known by
early Native American tribes as the Full Snow Moon because the heaviest
snows usually fell during this time of the year. Since hunting is difficult, this
moon has also been known by some tribes as the Full Hunger Moon, since the
harsh weather made hunting difficult. This is also the second of three
supermoons for 2019. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth
and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
 February 27 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury
reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the
best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the
horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just
after sunset.
 March 6 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 16:04
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 March 20 - March Equinox. The March equinox occurs at 21:58 UTC. The
Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts
of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring
(vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall
(autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
 March 21 - Full Moon, Supermoon. The Moon will be located on the opposite
side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This
phase occurs at 01:43 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native
American tribes as the Full Worm Moon because this was the time of year
when the ground would begin to soften and the earthworms would reappear.
This moon has also been known as the Full Crow Moon, the Full Crust Moon,
the Full Sap Moon, and the Lenten Moon. This is also the last of three
supermoons for 2019. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth
and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
 April 5 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 08:51
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 April 11 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury
reaches greatest western elongation of 27.7 degrees from the Sun. This is the
best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the
horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just
before sunrise.
 April 19 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the
Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 11:12 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Pink Moon because it marked the appearance of the moss
pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the first spring flowers. This moon
 has also been known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, and
the Egg Moon. Many coastal tribes called it the Full Fish Moon because this
was the time that the shad swam upstream to spawn.
 April 22, 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids is an average shower,
usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust
particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in
1861. The shower runs annually from April 16-25. It peaks this year on the
night of the night of the 22nd and morning of the 23rd. These meteors can
sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The waning
gibbous moon will block out many of the fainter meteors this year, but if you
are patient you should still be able to catch a few of the brightest ones. Best
viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from
the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 May 4 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 22:46
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 May 6, 7 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids is an above
average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak.
Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern
Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It is produced by
dust particles left behind by comet Halley, which has known and observed
since ancient times. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. It
peaks this year on the night of May 6 and the morning of the May 7. The thin
crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should
be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight.
Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere
in the sky.
 May 18 - Full Moon, Blue Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite
side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This
phase occurs at 21:11 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native
American tribes as the Full Flower Moon because this was the time of year
when spring flowers appeared in abundance. This moon has also been known
as the Full Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon. Since this is the third of
four full moons in this season, it is known as a blue moon. This rare calendar
event only happens once every few years, giving rise to the term, “once in a
blue moon.” There are normally only three full moons in each season of the
year. But since full moons occur every 29.53 days, occasionally a season will
contain 4 full moons. The extra full moon of the season is known as a blue
moon. Blue moons occur on average once every 2.7 years.
 June 3 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 10:02
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 June 10 - Jupiter at Opposition. The giant planet will be at its closest approach
to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter
than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the
best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. A medium-sized
telescope should be able to show you some of the details in Jupiter's cloud
 bands. A good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter's four largest
moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet.
 June 17 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the
Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 08:31 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Strawberry Moon because it signaled the time of year to
gather ripening fruit. It also coincides with the peak of the strawberry
harvesting season. This moon has also been known as the Full Rose Moon and
the Full Honey Moon.
 June 21 - June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 15:54 UTC. The North
Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its
northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer
at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer
solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter
solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
 June 23 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches
greatest eastern elongation of 25.2 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time
to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the
evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
 July 2 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 19:16
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 July 2 - Total Solar Eclipse. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon
completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun's beautiful outer atmosphere
known as the corona. The path of totality will only be visible in parts of the
southern pacific Ocean, central Chile, and central Argentina. A partial eclipse
will be visible in most parts of the southern Pacific Ocean and western South
America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
(NASA Interactive Google Map)
 July 9 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach
to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter
than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the
best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or
larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest
moons.
 July 16 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the
Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 21:38 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Buck Moon because the male buck deer would begin to grow
their new antlers at this time of year. This moon has also been known as the
Full Thunder Moon and the Full Hay Moon.
 July 16 - Partial Lunar Eclipse. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon
passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of
it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. During this type of eclipse a
part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth's shadow. The
eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, central Asia, and the
Indian Ocean. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
 July 28, 29 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids is an
average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is
 produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower
runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July
28 and morning of July 29. The waning crescent moon will not be too much of
a problem this year. The skies should be dark enough for what could be a good
show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will
radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 August 1 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as
the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 03:12
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 August 9 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury
reaches greatest western elongation of 19.0 degrees from the Sun. This is the
best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the
horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just
before sunrise.
 August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best
meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It
is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The
Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The
shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the
night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The nearly full moon will
block out most of the fainter meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright
and numerous that it could still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a
dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation
Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 August 15 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the
Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 12:30 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Sturgeon Moon because the large sturgeon fish of the Great
Lakes and other major lakes were more easily caught at this time of year. This
moon has also been known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.
 August 30 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth
as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 10:37
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 September 9 - Neptune at Opposition. The blue giant planet will be at its
closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It
will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night
long. This is the best time to view and photograph Neptune. Due to its extreme
distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most
powerful telescopes.
 September 14 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of
the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 04:34 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Corn Moon because the corn is harvested around this time of
year. This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the
full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
 September 23 - September Equinox. The September equinox occurs at 07:50
UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal
amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall
 (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring
(vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
 September 28 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the
Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at
18:26 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 October 8 - Draconids Meteor Shower. The Draconids is a minor meteor
shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust
grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered
in 1900. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that the best viewing is in the
early evening instead of early morning like most other showers. The shower
runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the
8th. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving fairly dark
skies for observing. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark
location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation
Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 October 13 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the
Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 21:09 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are
falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt. This moon has also been known
as the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon.
 October 20 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury
reaches greatest eastern elongation of 24.6 degrees from the Sun. This is the
best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the
horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just
after sunset.
 October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower
producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains
left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since
ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. It
peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. The
second quarter moon will block some of the fainter meteors this year, but the
Orionids tend to be fairly bright so it could still be a good show. Best viewing
will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the
constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 October 27 - Uranus at Opposition. The blue-green planet will be at its closest
approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be
brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This
is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a
tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
 October 28 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth
as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 03:39
UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 November 5, 6 - Taurids Meteor Shower. The Taurids is a long-running minor
meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unusual in
that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust grains
left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris
left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 7
 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of November 5. The first
quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for viewing.
Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from
city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear
anywhere in the sky.
 November 11 - Rare Transit of Mercury Across the Sun. The planet Mercury
will move directly between the Earth and the Sun. Viewers with telescopes
and approved solar filters will be able to observe the dark disk of the planet
Mercury moving across the face of the Sun. This is an extremely rare event
that occurs only once every few years. The next transit of Mercury will not
take place until 2039. This transit will be visible throughout all of South
America and Central America, and parts of North America, Mexico, Europe,
the Middle East, and Africa. The best place to view this event in its entirety
will be the eastern United States, Central America, and South America.
(Transit Visibility Map and Information)
 November 12 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of
the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 13:36 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Beaver Moon because this was the time of year to set the
beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. It has also been known as the
Frosty Moon and the Hunter's Moon.
 November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is an average
shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique
in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors
per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is
produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was
discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks
this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The second quarter
moon will block many of the fainter meteors this year, but if you are patient
you should be able to catch quite a few of the brightest ones. Best viewing will
be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the
constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 November 24 - Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. A conjunction of Venus and
Jupiter will be visible on November 24. The two bright planets will be visible
within 1.4 degrees of each other in the evening sky. Look for this impressive
sight in the western sky just after sunset.
 November 26 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the
Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at
15:06 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 November 28 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation. The planet Mercury
reaches greatest western elongation of 20.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the
best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the
horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just
before sunrise.
 December 12 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of
the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase
occurs at 05:14 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American
tribes as the Full Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold
 winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. This moon has also
been known as the Full Long Nights Moon and the Moon Before Yule.
 December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. The Geminids is the king of the
meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens,
producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced
by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was
discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks
this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. Unfortunately the
nearly full moon will block out many of the meteors this year, but the
Geminids are so bright and numerous that it could still be a good show. Best
viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from
the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
 December 22 - December Solstice. The December solstice occurs at 04:19
UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will
have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the
Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of
winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of
summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
 December 21, 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower. The Ursids is a minor meteor
shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains
left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower
runs annually from December 17 - 25. It peaks this year on the the night of the
21st and morning of the 22nd. The waning crescent moon should not interfere
too much this year. Skies should still be dark enough for what could be a good
show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away
from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but
can appear anywhere in the sky.
 December 26 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the
Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at
05:15 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as
galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
 December 26 - Annular Solar Eclipse. An annular solar eclipse occurs when
the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This
results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun's corona is not
visible during an annular eclipse. The path of of the eclipse will begin in Saudi
Arabia and move east through southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of the
Indian Ocean, and Indonesia before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial
eclipse will be visible throughout most of Asia and northern Australia.
(NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)

2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events

Greenwich Mean Time

The following table gives the date and time of the important astronomical events for
the year. If Daylight Saving Time is in effect, add one hour to the times listed. A key
to astronomical terms appears below the calendar.

2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events

January - June July - December
Date GMT Event Date GMT Event
(h:m) (h:m)

Jan 01 21:50 Venus 1.3°S of Jul 02 19:16 NEW MOON

Moon 02 19:23 Total Solar
02 05 Saturn in Eclipse; mag=1.046
Conjunction with Sun 03 06:53 Moon at Ascending
03 05 Earth at Node
Perihelion: 0.98330 AU 04 08:34 Mercury 3.3°S of
03 07:37 Jupiter 3.1°S of Moon
Moon 04 13:20 Mercury 2.5°S of
04 02 Quadrantid Meteor Beehive
Shower 04 15:02 Beehive 0.2°S of
06 01:28 NEW MOON Moon
06 01:41 Partial Solar 04 23 Earth at
Eclipse; mag=0.715 Aphelion: 1.01676 AU
06 05 Venus at Greatest 05 04:54 Moon at Perigee:
Elong: 47.0°W 363729 km
07 00:08 Moon at 05 23 Mercury 3.8° of
Descending Node Mars
09 04:29 Moon at Apogee: 06 02:17 Regulus 3.2°S of
406116 km Moon
12 08 Mercury at 07 07 Mercury at
Aphelion Aphelion
12 19:47 Mars 5.3°N of 09 10:55 FIRST QUARTER
Moon MOON
14 06:45 FIRST QUARTER 09 16 Saturn at
MOON Opposition
17 18:20 Aldebaran 1.6°S 13 07:06 Mars 0.4°S of
of Moon Beehive
20 22:48 Moon at Ascending 13 19:43 Jupiter 2.3°S of
Node Moon
21 05:12 Total Lunar 16 07:27 Saturn 0.2°N of
Eclipse; mag=1.195 Moon: Occn.
21 05:16 FULL MOON 16 09:05 Moon at
21 15:32 Beehive 0.6°N of Descending Node
Moon 16 21:31 Partial Lunar
21 19:58 Moon at Perigee: Eclipse; mag=0.653
357345 km 16 21:38 FULL MOON
23 01:41 Regulus 2.5°S of 21 00:01 Moon at Apogee:
Moon 405480 km
27 21:10 LAST QUARTER MOON 21 13 Mercury at
30 03 Mercury at Inferior Conjunction
Superior Conjunction 25 01:18 LAST QUARTER MOON
30 23:54 Jupiter 2.8°S of 28 00:47 Aldebaran 2.3°S
Moon of Moon
31 17:36 Venus 0.1°S of 28 15 Delta-Aquarid
Moon: Occn. Meteor Shower
30 17:02 Moon at Ascending
Feb 02 07:18 Saturn 0.6°S of Node
Moon: Occn.
03 06:35 Moon at Aug 01 03:12 NEW MOON
Descending Node 02 07:08 Moon at Perigee:
04 21:04 NEW MOON 359398 km
05 09:26 Moon at Apogee: 07 17:31 FIRST QUARTER
406556 km MOON
12 22:26 FIRST QUARTER 08 11 Venus at
MOON Perihelion
14 03:29 Aldebaran 1.7°S 09 22:53 Jupiter 2.5°S of
2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events
January - June July - December
of Moon Moon
17 09:42 Moon at Ascending 09 23 Mercury at
Node Greatest Elong: 19.0°W
18 03:05 Beehive 0.6°N of 12 10:05 Saturn 0.0°N of
Moon Moon: Occn.
19 09:06 Moon at Perigee: 12 14:45 Moon at
356762 km Descending Node
19 13:08 Regulus 2.5°S of 12 14:59 Jupiter 4.3°N of
Moon Antares
19 15:53 FULL MOON 13 07 Perseid Meteor
25 08 Mercury at Shower
Perihelion 14 06 Venus at Superior
26 11:28 LAST QUARTER MOON Conjunction
27 01 Mercury at 15 12:29 FULL MOON
Greatest Elong: 18.1°E 17 04:24 Mercury 1.2°S of
27 14:17 Jupiter 2.3°S of Beehive
Moon 17 10:50 Moon at Apogee:
406244 km
Mar 01 18:40 Saturn 0.3°S of 20 07 Mercury at
Moon: Occn. Perihelion
02 11:03 Moon at 23 14:56 LAST QUARTER MOON
Descending Node 24 09:24 Aldebaran 2.4°S
02 21:28 Venus 1.2°N of of Moon
Moon 26 00 Mars at Aphelion
04 11:25 Moon at Apogee: 27 01:50 Moon at Ascending
406391 km Node
06 16:04 NEW MOON 27 14:30 Pollux 6.1°N of
07 01 Neptune in Moon
Conjunction with Sun 28 11:31 Beehive 0.2°S of
11 12:09 Mars 5.8°N of Moon
Moon 30 10:37 NEW MOON
13 10:13 Aldebaran 1.9°S 30 15:57 Moon at Perigee:
of Moon 357177 km
14 10:27 FIRST QUARTER
MOON Sep 02 10 Mars in
15 02 Mercury at Conjunction with Sun
Inferior Conjunction 04 01 Mercury at
16 16:22 Moon at Ascending Superior Conjunction
Node 06 03:10 FIRST QUARTER
17 13:01 Beehive 0.5°N of MOON
Moon 06 06:52 Jupiter 2.3°S of
18 23:59 Regulus 2.6°S of Moon
Moon 08 13:53 Saturn 0.0°N of
19 19:47 Moon at Perigee: Moon: Occn.
359381 km 08 17:35 Moon at
20 21:58 Vernal Equinox Descending Node
21 01:43 FULL MOON 10 06 Neptune at
27 02:28 Jupiter 1.9°S of Opposition
Moon 13 13:32 Moon at Apogee:
28 04:10 LAST QUARTER MOON 406378 km
29 05:11 Saturn 0.1°N of 14 04:33 FULL MOON
Moon: Occn. 20 16:14 Aldebaran 2.6°S
29 13:08 Moon at of Moon
Descending Node 22 02:41 LAST QUARTER MOON
31 03:06 Mars 3.1°S of 23 06:30 Moon at Ascending
Pleiades Node
23 07:50 Autumnal Equinox
Apr 01 00:14 Moon at Apogee: 23 23:34 Pollux 5.9°N of
2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events
January - June July - December
405577 km Moon
02 04:18 Venus 2.7°N of 24 21:15 Beehive 0.4°S of
Moon Moon
02 23:01 Mercury 3.6°N of 26 08:30 Regulus 3.3°S of
Moon Moon
05 08:50 NEW MOON 28 02:27 Moon at Perigee:
09 06:40 Mars 4.7°N of 357803 km
Moon 28 18:26 NEW MOON
09 15:43 Aldebaran 2.1°S 29 04:15 Mercury 1.2°N of
of Moon Spica
11 19 Mercury at
Greatest Elong: 27.7°W Oct 03 20:23 Jupiter 1.9°S of
12 18:08 Moon at Ascending Moon
Node 05 16:47 FIRST QUARTER
12 19:06 FIRST QUARTER MOON
MOON 05 18:49 Moon at
13 20:12 Beehive 0.2°N of Descending Node
Moon 05 20:48 Saturn 0.3°N of
15 00:24 Mars 6.4°N of Moon: Occn.
Aldebaran 10 18:29 Moon at Apogee:
15 08:22 Regulus 2.7°S of 405902 km
Moon 13 21:08 FULL MOON
16 20 Mercury 4.3° of 17 21:51 Aldebaran 2.9°S
Venus of Moon
16 22:02 Moon at Perigee: 20 04 Mercury at
364209 km Greatest Elong: 24.6°E
18 03 Venus at Aphelion 20 07:28 Moon at Ascending
19 11:12 FULL MOON Node
23 00 Lyrid Meteor 21 06:21 Pollux 5.7°N of
Shower Moon
23 00 Uranus in 21 12:39 LAST QUARTER MOON
Conjunction with Sun 21 23 Orionid Meteor
23 11:36 Jupiter 1.6°S of Shower
Moon 22 04:41 Beehive 0.6°S of
25 14:38 Saturn 0.4°N of Moon
Moon: Occn. 23 17:11 Regulus 3.5°S of
25 15:02 Moon at Moon
Descending Node 26 10:41 Moon at Perigee:
26 22:18 LAST QUARTER MOON 361316 km
28 18:20 Moon at Apogee: 28 03:38 NEW MOON
404577 km 28 08 Uranus at
Opposition
May 02 11:39 Venus 3.6°N of 29 13:34 Venus 3.9°S of
Moon Moon
03 06:26 Mercury 2.9°N of 31 04 Mercury 2.5° of
Moon Venus
04 22:45 NEW MOON 31 14:22 Jupiter 1.3°S of
05 13 Eta-Aquarid Moon
Meteor Shower
06 21:52 Aldebaran 2.3°S Nov 01 21:40 Moon at
of Moon Descending Node
07 23:36 Mars 3.2°N of 02 07:31 Saturn 0.6°N of
Moon Moon: Occn.
09 18:50 Moon at Ascending 04 10:23 FIRST QUARTER
Node MOON
10 03:30 Pollux 6.3°N of 06 00 S Taurid Meteor
Moon Shower
11 01:35 Beehive 0.0°S of 07 08:37 Moon at Apogee:
2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events
January - June July - December
Moon 405060 km
12 01:12 FIRST QUARTER 09 19:18 Venus 3.8°N of
MOON Antares
12 14:19 Regulus 3.0°S of 09 23:07 Mars 2.6°N of
Moon Spica
13 21:53 Moon at Perigee: 11 15 Mercury at
369017 km Inferior Conjunction
18 21:11 FULL MOON 12 13:34 FULL MOON
20 16:54 Jupiter 1.7°S of 12 23 N Taurid Meteor
Moon Shower
21 13 Mercury at 14 03:52 Aldebaran 3.0°S
Superior Conjunction of Moon
22 19:12 Moon at 16 06 Mercury at
Descending Node Perihelion
22 22:25 Saturn 0.5°N of 16 08:48 Moon at Ascending
Moon: Occn. Node
24 07 Mercury at 17 11:41 Pollux 5.4°N of
Perihelion Moon
26 13:27 Moon at Apogee: 18 05 Leonid Meteor
404134 km Shower
26 16:33 LAST QUARTER MOON 18 10:11 Beehive 0.9°S of
Moon
Jun 01 18:15 Venus 3.2°N of 19 21:11 LAST QUARTER MOON
Moon 19 23:24 Regulus 3.7°S of
03 10:02 NEW MOON Moon
04 15:42 Mercury 3.7°N of 23 07:54 Moon at Perigee:
Moon 366721 km
05 15:05 Mars 1.6°N of 24 09:02 Mars 4.3°S of
Moon Moon
05 22:46 Moon at Ascending 25 02:50 Mercury 1.9°S of
Node Moon
06 09:41 Pollux 6.2°N of 26 15:06 NEW MOON
Moon 28 10 Mercury at
07 07:19 Beehive 0.2°S of Greatest Elong: 20.1°W
Moon 28 10:49 Jupiter 0.7°S of
07 23:21 Moon at Perigee: Moon: Occn.
368508 km 28 18:50 Venus 1.9°S of
08 19:36 Regulus 3.2°S of Moon
Moon 29 04:13 Moon at
09 01:51 Venus 5.0°S of Descending Node
Pleiades 29 21:12 Saturn 0.9°N of
10 05:59 FIRST QUARTER Moon: Occn.
MOON
10 15 Jupiter at Dec 04 06:58 FIRST QUARTER
Opposition MOON
16 18:50 Jupiter 2.0°S of 05 04:09 Moon at Apogee:
Moon 404447 km
16 23:09 Venus 4.6°N of 11 11:40 Aldebaran 3.0°S
Aldebaran of Moon
17 08:31 FULL MOON 12 05:12 FULL MOON
18 18 Mercury 0.2° of 13 14:15 Moon at Ascending
Mars Node
19 01:49 Moon at 14 17:51 Pollux 5.3°N of
Descending Node Moon
19 03:58 Saturn 0.4°N of 14 18 Geminid Meteor
Moon: Occn. Shower
19 13:04 Mercury 5.2°S of 15 15:54 Beehive 1.0°S of
Pollux Moon
2019 Calendar of Astronomical Events
January - June July - December
21 08:00 Mars 5.4°S of 17 04:41 Regulus 3.8°S of
Pollux Moon
21 15:54 Summer Solstice 18 20:30 Moon at Perigee:
23 07:50 Moon at Apogee: 370260 km
404549 km 19 04:57 LAST QUARTER MOON
23 23 Mercury at 22 04:19 Winter Solstice
Greatest Elong: 25.2°E 23 01:49 Mars 3.5°S of
25 09:46 LAST QUARTER MOON Moon
30 15:06 Aldebaran 2.3°S 23 03 Ursid Meteor
of Moon Shower
26 05:13 NEW MOON
26 05:18 Annular Solar
Eclipse; mag=0.970
26 13:01 Moon at
Descending Node
27 18 Jupiter in
Conjunction with Sun
29 01:32 Venus 1.0°N of
Moon: Occn.
30 05 Mercury at
Aphelion

Astronomical Definitions

 Perihelion - the instant when a planet is closest to the Sun

 Aphelion - the instant when a planet is furthest from the Sun
 Perigee - the instant when the Moon is closest to Earth
 Apogee - the instant when the Moon is furthest from Earth
 Inferior Conjunction - the instant when a planet passes between Earth and the
Sun (Mercury or Venus)
 Superior Conjunction - the instant when a planet passes on the opposite side of
the Sun from Earth (Mercury or Venus)
 Greatest Elongation - elongation is the apparent angle between a planet and
the Sun 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 - the instant when a planet appears opposite the Sun as seen from
Earth
 Conjunction - the instant when a planet appears closest the Sun as seen from
Earth
 Occultation - the Moon occults or eclipses a star or planet
 Ascending Node - the point where a planet crosses from the southern to
northern portion of its orbit
 Descending Node - the point where a planet crosses from the northern to the
southern portion of its orbit
 Uranu Neptun
Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Pluto
s e
0h
Right 19h 14m 16h 31m 16h 53m 18h 55m 1h 46m 23h 3m 19h 30m
36m
ascension 36.5s 45.8s 35.9s 59.7s 13.0s 15.4s 17.0s
54.6s
10°
-23° 49' -18° 36' 4° 0' -21° 55' -22° 20' -7° 6' -21° 56'
Declination 24'
44" 11" 2" 59" 40" 38" 42"
22"
Range 19.78
1.412 0.751 1.392 6.048 11.017 30.581 34.702
(AU) 9
Elongation
8.8° 46.6° 74.4° 41.0° 12.8° 92.7° 48.5° 4.8°
from Sun
Brightness -0.6 -4.3 0.7 -1.7 0.5 5.8 7.9 14.3
Equatorial
4.77" 22.21" 6.73" 32.60" 15.09" 3.56" 2.23" 0.09"
Diameter
Phase
18.8° 83.9° 40.0° 6.9° 1.2° 2.8° 1.4° 0.1°
Angle
Constellatio Sagittari Ophiuch Pisce Ophiuch Sagittari Aquariu Sagittari
Pisces
n us us s us us s us
Meridian 17:1
11:57 09:15 09:37 11:40 18:29 15:46 12:14
transit 9
11:1
Rises 06:03 03:19 03:44 05:46 12:27 09:49 06:21
9
23:2
Sets 17:52 15:10 15:31 17:33 00:34 21:44 18:07
1
Altitude 25.4° -11.4° 69.6° -6.3° 21.7° 51.9° 78.9° 29.5°
Azimuth 241.4° 251.7° 88.2° 248.3° 244.2° 77.7° 195.4° 242.3°
2018- 2018-
Inferior
Nov-27 Oct-26
Conjunctio - - - - - -
2019- 2020-
n
Mar-15 Jun-04
2018 2018-
-Jul- 2018- 2018- Oct- 2018- 2018-Jul-
27 May-09 Jun-27 24 Sep-08 12
Opposition - -
2020 2019- 2019-Jul- 2019- 2019- 2019-Jul-
-Oct- Jun-10 09 Oct- Sep-10 14
14 28
2017 2018-
2018- 2018- -Jul- 2018- 2019- Apr- 2018- 2019-
Superior
Sep-21 Jan-09 27 Nov-26 Jan-02 18 Mar-04 Jan-11
Conjunctio
2019- 2019- 2019 2019- 2020- 2019- 2019- 2020-
n
Jan-30 Aug-14 -Sep- Dec-28 Jan-13 Apr- Mar-07 Jan-13
02 23
Max. 2018- 2018- - - - - - -
 Uranu Neptun
Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Pluto
s e
eastern Nov-06 Aug-17
elongation 2019- 2020-
Feb-27 Mar-25
2018- 2019-
Max.
Dec-15 Jan-06
western - - - - - -
2019- 2020-
elongation
Apr-12 Aug-13
2018
1966-
-Sep-
2018- 2018- 2011- 2003-Jul- May- 1876- 1989-
16
Nov-29 Dec-26 Mar-18 26 22 Aug-26 Sep-05
Perihelion 2020
2019- 2019- 2023- 2032- 2050- 2042- 2237-
-
Feb-25 Aug-08 Jan-20 Nov-28 Aug- Sep-03 Sep-15
Aug-
17
03
2017
2009-
-Oct-
2019- 2018- 2017- 2018- Feb- 1959- 1866-
08
Jan-12 Sep-05 Feb-17 Apr-17 27 Jul-17 Jun-05
Aphelion 2019
2019- 2019- 2028- 2047-Jul- 2092- 2125- 2114-
-
Apr-10 Apr-18 Dec-28 15 Nov- Dec-02 Feb-19
Aug-
23
26