Space calendar 2020: Missions, launches, celestial events and more

Sync your calendar with the solar system and beyond; never miss an eclipse, rocket launch, space news or notable astronomical event during 2020.

We will update this index throughout the year, using information from NASA, Space.com, SeaSky, TimeAndDate, Bashewa and others.

These dates are subject to change. To avoid disappointment, do not make travel plans according to dates listed below.

Updated 7 February 2020.

Upcoming Space Events

Scroll down for a list of completed events and additional reading.

February 

9 February: The European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA launch the Solar Orbiter to investigate the sun’s poles. The Parker Polar Probe can’t see everything.

9 February: February’s full moon, also known as the Full Snow Moon, occurs at 9:33 SAST.

9 February: Alpha Centaurid meteor shower peaks.

17 February: Juno flies over Jupiter again, six more flyby’s to take place in 2020. I’m personally looking forward to this, thanks to my years-long obsession with Jupiter.

March 

1 March: SpaceX will launch it’s Falcon 9 rocket for a cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) using the Dragon CRS-20 craft.

9 March 9: Super Worm Moon: March’s full moon, also known as the Worm Moon, coincides with a supermoon this year.

14 March: Eta Virginid meteor shower peaks.

19 March: This day marks the first day of autumn on the Southern Hemisphere, and the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere.

April 

5 April: Kappa Serpentid meteor shower peaks.

7 April: Super Pink Moon: The full moon of April, also known as the Pink Moon, coincides with a supermoon.

13 April: BepiColombo orbiter, from a joint mission between ESA and Japan’s space agency JAXA, will pass by Earth. BepiColombo was launched in October 2018.

21 to 22 April: The Lyrid meteor shower peaks.

22 April Happy Earth Day!

23 April: pi-Puppid meteor shower peaks.

28 April: The “evening star” Venus will reach its greatest brightness of the year on 28 April.

Also happening in April: The crew of Expedition 63 will launch to the International Space Station.

May 

5 May: eta Aquariid meteor shower peaks.

7 May: Super Flower Moon: May’s full moon, also known as the Flower Moon, occurs at 12:45 SAST. It coincides with a supermoon.

9 May: Eta Lyrid meteor shower peaks.

June 

5 June: A penumbral lunar eclipse – visible from Africa, Asia, Australia, and parts of Europe – will take place at 19:45 SAST. The eclipse will last for approximately three hours and 18 minutes.

5 June: June’s full moon, also known as the Strawberry Moon, occurs at 21:12 SAST. 

20 June: It’s Solstice! This day marks the first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

21 June: Ring of Fire: An annular solar eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa and Asia. 

27 June: Bootid meteor shower peaks

30 June: Happy Asteroid Day!

July 

4 July: Earth is farthest from the sun on this day. 

4 to 5 July: A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of Africa and Antarctica on July 4 from 5:07 SAST. The eclipse will last approximately two hours and 45 minutes. 

5 July: July’s full moon, also known as the Buck Moon, occurs at 6:44 SAST.

8 July: The “morning star” Venus is at its greatest brightness for the year.

17 July: NASA’s Mars 2020 rover launches to the Red Planet! Liftoff is scheduled from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

30 July: Delta Aquariid meteor shower peaks.

30 July: Alpha Capricornid meteor shower peaks

Also happening in July: The United Arab Emirates will launch a Mars orbiter. Date still unknown.

August 

3 August: August’s full moon, also known as Sturgeon Moon, occurs on this day.

5 August: SpaceX will use the Falcon 9 rocket to send a Dragon cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station.

11 to 12 August: The Perseid meteor shower peaks. 

18 August:  A black moon occurs on this day. The third new moon in a season with four new moons is known as a “black moon.” However, the other definition for a black moon is the second new moon in a single calendar month.

31 August: Alpha Aurigid meteor shower peaks.

Also happening in August: LightSail2 deorbit. Date still unknown; this is a pre-mission estimate only.

September

1 September: Asteroid 2011 ES4 will pass by Earth at a distance 75 000 kilometers.

2 September: September’s full moon, also known as the Harvest Moon, occurs at 7:22 SAST. 

22 September: Happy Equinox! It’s the first day of Spring in the Southern Hemisphere and the first day of autumn for the folks up North.  

October

1 October: October’s full moon, known as the Hunter’s Moon, occurs at 23:05 SAST. 

2 October: Capricornid meteor shower peaks.

4 to 10 October: Happy World Space Week!

7 to 8 October: The Draconid meteor shower peaks.

16 October: The BepiColombo orbiter will pass by Venus.

21 to 22 October: The Orionid meteor shower peaks.

31 October: October has two full moons! Prepare yourselves for a Blue Moon on Halloween. The moon will reach full phase at 16:49 SAST.

November

11 to 12 November: The Northern and Southern Taurid meteor shower peaks. 

16 to 17 November: The Leonid meteor shower peaks. 

21 November: The Alpha Monocerotid meteor shower peaks.

29 to 30 November: A penumbral lunar eclipse will last for about 4 hours and 20 minutes. Unfortunately, it will not be visible from Africa. For this eclipse, Americas, Australia and Asia are in the front seats.  

30 November: November’s full moon, also known as the Beaver Moon, occurs at 11:30 SAST.

December

13 to 14 December: The Geminid meteor shower peaks. 

14 December: The only total solar eclipse of 2020 will cross through the southern tip of South America. Sorry, fellow sky-watchers, it won’t be visible from Africa.

21 December: Today marks the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere and the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

21 to 22 December: The Ursid meteor shower peaks.

25 December: The Comae Berenicid meteor shower peaks.

29 December: December’s full moon, also known as the Cold Moon, occurs at 5:28 SAST.

Completed events:

January 

• 3 to 4 January: The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks. 
• 10 January: A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible from Asia, Australia, Europe and Africa. Cast your eyes heavenward at about 19:07 South Africa Standard Time (SAST). The eclipse will last for 4 hours and 4 minutes.
• 10 January: January’s full moon, also known as the Full Wolf Moon, will occur at 21:21 SAST.
• 18 January: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a critical Crew Dragon test flight.
• 29 January: SpaceX launched an additional 60 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit.

Other noteworthy events:

• ESO catches beautiful image of stellar fight between ‘sibling stars’ [photo]
• RIP Falcon 9: SpaceX destroys rocket during Crew Dragon abort test
• FAST: China ‘Sky Eye’ telescope officially open for business [photos]