Maine Nature News - Astronomical Diary 2000 for Maine
Astronomical Diary for 2000 for Maine
All times and dates in Eastern Time

The Astronomical Diary for 2000 (giving times of equinoxes, solstices, a lunar eclipse, New and Full Moon phases, and beginning/ending dates of Daylight Savings time) is tabulated below.  It reports these in the time format most useful to Maine, i.e. all times are given in Eastern Time (Standard or Daylight Savings, as appropriate). Some almanacs and calendars are casual about this time change, and/or give the data in Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time).

The lunar and solar events given below do not depend on one's location on Earth. Therefore the times given are the moments (in Eastern Time) when they precisely occur. However, sunrise, sunset, moonrise and moonset do depend on location. Link to the U.S. Naval Observatory's Astronomical Applications: Data Online page to calculate these at need.

As you are sure to notice below, there are two New  Moons in July, 2000.  There is no special name for this happenstance, but it is interesting to note, nonetheless.   The moon's synodic period of revolution around the Earth is approximately 29.5 days -- known as 1 lunation, when counted from one New Moon phase to the next.  Because July begins with a New Moon on the 1st, two  just happen to both squeeze into July.  This year there is a Full Moon almost exactly on the Vernal Equinox, an infrequent coincidence of the two cycles, solar and lunar.  Also, a New Moon occurs on Christmas Day.

Astronomical diary for 2000 for Maine

All times and dates in Eastern Time

date

event

time

Thurs., Jan. 6 New Moon

1:14 pm  EST

Thurs-Fri., Jan. 20-21 Total lunar eclipse begins 11:05 pm EST, ends 1:25 am EST.
Thurs., Jan. 20 Full Moon

11:40 pm EST

Sat., Feb. 5  New Moon

8:03 am EST

Sat., Feb. 19 Full Moon

11:27 am EST

Mon., Mar. 6 New Moon

12:17 am EST

Sun., Mar. 19 Full Moon

11:44 pm EST

Mon., Mar. 20 Vernal Equinox

2:35 am EST

Sun., Apr. 2 Daylight Savings Time begins 2:00 am
Tues., Apr. 4  New Moon

2:12 pm EDST  

Tues., Apr. 18  Full Moon

1:41 pm EDST

Thurs., May 4  New Moon

12:12 am EDST

Thurs., May 18  Full Moon

3:34 am EDST

Fri., June 2  New Moon

8:14 am EDST

Fri., June 16 Full Moon

6:27 pm EDST

Tues., June 20  Summer Solstice

9:48 pm EDST

Sat., July 1  New Moon

3:20 pm EDST

Sun., July 16  Full Moon

9:55 am EDST

Sun., July 30  New Moon

10:25 pm EDST

Tues., Aug. 15  Full Moon

1:13 am EDST

Tues., Aug. 29

New Moon

6:19 am EDST

Wed., Sept.13 Full Moon

3:37 pm EDST

Fri., Sept. 22  Autumnal Equinox

1:27 pm EDST

Wed., Sept. 27 New Moon

3:53 pm EDST

Fri., Oct. 13  Full Moon

4:53 am EDST

Fri., Oct. 27 New Moon

3:58 am EDST

Sun., Oct. 29  Standard Time resumes 2:00 am
Sat., Nov. 11 Full Moon

4:15 pm EST

Sat., Nov. 25 New Moon

6:11 pm EST

Mon., Dec.11 Full Moon

4:03 am EST

Thurs., Dec. 21  Winter Solstice

8:37 am EST

Mon., Dec. 25 New Moon

12:22 pm EST

Mon., Dec. 25 Partial solar eclipse begins 11:15 am EST, with Sun about 60% covered at maximum about 12:51 pm EST, as seen from Maine.

Adapted by Frank Wihbey from: Astronomical Phenomena for the Year 2000, U. S. Naval Observatory and Royal Greenwich Observatory

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