ASTRONOMICAL PHENOMENA

July 2020 – June 2021

ORBITAL PHENOMENA OF THE EARTH

Orbital Phenomena
Aphelion (Earth furthest from Sun) 2020 July 4 23:35
Equinox (Sun moves south of the Equator); equal day, night 2020 September 23 01:31
Solstice (Sun furthest south); Southern hemisphere longest day 2020 December 21 22:02
Perihelion (Earth nearest to Sun) 2021 January 3 01:51
ASTRONOMICAL

Equinox (Sun moves north of the Equator); equal day, night 2021 March 20 21:37
Solstice (Sun furthest north); Southern hemisphere shortest day 2021 June 21 15:32

SOLAR AND LUNAR ECLIPSES

Type of Eclipse Mid-event Visibility from New Zealand
Penumbral eclipse of the Moon 2020 July 5 16:30 Moon rises during eclipse
Penumbral eclipse of the Moon 2020 November 30 21:42 Moon rises during eclipse
Total eclipse of the Sun 2020 December 15 04:18 Not visible
Total eclipse of the Moon 2021 May 26 23:18 Entire eclipse visible

LUNAR PERIGEE AND APOGEE

Perigee (Moon nearest to Earth) Apogee (Moon furthest from Earth)

Distance (km) Distance (km)

Jul 13 07:27 404,039
Jul 26 17:02 368,454 Aug 10 01:50 404,508
Aug 21 22:57 363,680 Sep 6 18:29 405,480
2020

Sep 19 01:48 359,304 Oct 4 05:22 406,228

Oct 17 11:46 357,161 Oct 31 06:45 406,313
Nov 14 23:43 358,078 Nov 27 12:29 405,785
Dec 13 08:42 361,971 Dec 25 04:31 404,869
Jan 10 03:37 367,511 Jan 22 01:11 404,197
Feb 4 07:03 370,177 Feb 18 22:22 404,307
Mar 2 17:18 365,567 Mar 18 17:03 405,115
2021

Mar 30 18:16 360,517 Apr 15 05:46 406,015

Apr 28 03:22 357,620 May 12 09:53 406,429
May 26 13:50 357,555 Jun 8 14:27 406,131
Jun 23 21:55 360,171

PHASES OF THE MOON

New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter
Jul 5 16:44 Jul 13 11:29
Jul 21 05:33 Jul 28 00:33 Aug 4 03:59 Aug 12 04:45
Aug 19 14:42 Aug 26 05:58 Sep 2 17:22 Sep 10 21:26
2020

Sep 17 23:00 Sep 24 13:55 Oct 2 09:05 Oct 10 12:40

Oct 17 07:31 Oct 24 01:23 Nov 1 02:49 Nov 9 01:46
Nov 15 17:07 Nov 22 16:45 Nov 30 21:30 Dec 8 12:37
Dec 15 04:17 Dec 22 11:41 Dec 30 15:28
Jan 6 21:37
Jan 13 17:00 Jan 21 09:02 Jan 29 07:16 Feb 5 05:37
Feb 12 07:06 Feb 20 06:47 Feb 27 20:17 Mar 6 13:30
2021

Mar 13 22:21 Mar 22 02:40 Mar 29 06:48 Apr 4 22:02

Apr 12 14:31 Apr 20 18:59 Apr 27 15:32 May 4 07:50
May 12 07:00 May 20 07:13 May 26 23:14 Jun 2 19:24
Jun 10 22:53 Jun 18 15:54 Jun 25 06:40

Times listed are in New Zealand Standard Time (NZST).

Add 1 hour when New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT) is in force.

6 ASTRONOMICAL INFORMATION | New Zealand Nautical Almanac 2020 – 21