The periodicity and recurrence of lunar (and solar) eclipses is governed by the Saros cycle, a period of approximately 6,585.3 days (18 years 11 days 8 hours). When two eclipses are separated by a period of one Saros, they share a very similar geometry. The two eclipses occur at the same node[1] with the Moon at nearly the same distance from Earth and at the same time of year. Thus, the Saros is useful for organizing eclipses into families or series. Each series typically lasts 12 to 15 centuries and contains 70 or more lunar eclipses.
Lunar eclipses of Saros 7 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series began with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -2595 Jul 16. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -1008 Feb 22. The total duration of Saros series 7 is 1586.65 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -2595 Jul 16 00:47:46 TD
Last Eclipse = -1008 Feb 22 20:50:37 TD
Duration of Saros 7 = 1586.65 Years
Saros 7 is composed of 89 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 7 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 89 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 49 | 55.1% |
| Partial | P | 14 | 15.7% |
| Total | T | 26 | 29.2% |
The 89 lunar eclipses in Saros 7 occur in the order of 25N 7P 26T 7P 24N which corresponds to:
25 Penumbral
7 Partial
26 Total
7 Partial
24 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 7 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1874 Sep 21 Duration = 01h45m03s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -2018 Jun 27 Duration = 00h41m36s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -1549 Apr 04 Duration = 03h26m23s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2144 Apr 12 Duration = 00h49m01s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -1423 Jun 18 Duration = 04h30m31s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -2595 Jul 16 Duration = 00h07m02s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 7 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -1549 Apr 04 Magnitude = 0.9685
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2144 Apr 12 Magnitude = 0.0427
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 7 are presented in the following catalog. For eclipses occurring between the years -1999 to +3000 (2000 BCE to 3000 CE), the sequence number in the first column links to a eclipse geometry diagram and a map from Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000. A detailed key and additional information about the catalog can be found at: Key to Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series.
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
01 -41 -2595 Jul 16 00:47:46 62072 -56827 Nb a- -1.5479 0.0007 -0.9656 7.0 - -
02 -40 -2577 Jul 27 08:31:25 61566 -56604 N a- -1.5027 0.0862 -0.8854 79.8 - -
03 -39 -2559 Aug 06 16:22:51 61062 -56381 N a- -1.4646 0.1591 -0.8182 108.0 - -
04 -38 -2541 Aug 18 00:22:01 60560 -56158 N a- -1.4334 0.2193 -0.7638 126.6 - -
05 -37 -2523 Aug 28 08:28:21 60060 -55935 N a- -1.4085 0.2678 -0.7210 139.9 - -
06 -36 -2505 Sep 08 16:42:21 59562 -55712 N a- -1.3906 0.3035 -0.6911 149.0 - -
07 -35 -2487 Sep 19 01:03:15 59066 -55489 N a- -1.3790 0.3276 -0.6726 155.0 - -
08 -34 -2469 Sep 30 09:30:49 58572 -55266 N a- -1.3738 0.3399 -0.6655 158.3 - -
09 -33 -2451 Oct 10 18:02:06 58080 -55043 N a- -1.3723 0.3450 -0.6651 160.1 - -
10 -32 -2433 Oct 22 02:38:36 57591 -54820 N a- -1.3757 0.3409 -0.6736 159.8 - -
11 -31 -2415 Nov 01 11:16:27 57103 -54597 N a- -1.3807 0.3336 -0.6846 158.7 - -
12 -30 -2397 Nov 12 19:55:40 56618 -54374 N a- -1.3878 0.3222 -0.6991 156.7 - -
13 -29 -2379 Nov 23 04:31:57 56134 -54151 N a- -1.3931 0.3137 -0.7102 155.3 - -
14 -28 -2361 Dec 04 13:06:38 55653 -53928 N a- -1.3980 0.3056 -0.7201 153.9 - -
15 -27 -2343 Dec 14 21:35:38 55174 -53705 N a- -1.3989 0.3048 -0.7224 154.3 - -
16 -26 -2325 Dec 26 05:58:31 54696 -53482 N a- -1.3957 0.3112 -0.7169 156.3 - -
17 -25 -2306 Jan 05 14:12:56 54221 -53259 N a- -1.3863 0.3287 -0.7000 160.9 - -
18 -24 -2288 Jan 16 22:18:48 53748 -53036 N h- -1.3710 0.3569 -0.6721 167.8 - -
19 -23 -2270 Jan 27 06:14:21 53277 -52813 N h- -1.3482 0.3987 -0.6303 177.2 - -
20 -22 -2252 Feb 07 13:59:26 52808 -52590 N h- -1.3179 0.4544 -0.5746 188.8 - -
21 -21 -2234 Feb 17 21:33:37 52341 -52367 N t- -1.2795 0.5248 -0.5043 202.3 - -
22 -20 -2216 Feb 29 04:57:40 51877 -52144 N t- -1.2339 0.6087 -0.4206 216.8 - -
23 -19 -2198 Mar 11 12:10:20 51414 -51921 N t- -1.1798 0.7080 -0.3217 232.4 - -
24 -18 -2180 Mar 21 19:14:09 50953 -51698 N t- -1.1194 0.8192 -0.2112 248.1 - -
25 -17 -2162 Apr 02 02:08:37 50495 -51475 N t- -1.0523 0.9429 -0.0886 263.7 - -
26 -16 -2144 Apr 12 08:56:36 50038 -51252 P t- -0.9804 1.0757 0.0427 278.8 49.0 -
27 -15 -2126 Apr 23 15:36:13 49584 -51029 P t- -0.9023 1.2199 0.1849 293.3 100.3 -
28 -14 -2108 May 03 22:12:53 49131 -50806 P t- -0.8225 1.3676 0.3302 306.6 131.7 -
29 -13 -2090 May 15 04:44:49 48681 -50583 P t- -0.7396 1.5212 0.4808 318.9 155.7 -
30 -12 -2072 May 25 11:16:45 48233 -50360 P t- -0.6571 1.6742 0.6306 329.7 174.6 -
31 -11 -2054 Jun 05 17:46:44 47787 -50137 P t- -0.5735 1.8295 0.7820 339.3 190.0 -
32 -10 -2036 Jun 16 00:20:29 47343 -49914 P t- -0.4936 1.9784 0.9267 347.4 202.1 -
33 -09 -2018 Jun 27 06:55:53 46901 -49691 T t- -0.4158 2.1235 1.0671 354.3 211.7 41.6
34 -08 -2000 Jul 07 13:36:10 46461 -49468 T t- -0.3426 2.2603 1.1989 360.0 219.1 68.7
35 -07 -1982 Jul 18 20:21:53 46023 -49245 T pp -0.2744 2.3880 1.3214 364.6 224.6 83.7
36 -06 -1964 Jul 29 03:15:13 45587 -49022 T- pp -0.2132 2.5030 1.4312 368.2 228.5 92.9
37 -05 -1946 Aug 09 10:16:29 45154 -48799 T- pp -0.1590 2.6051 1.5279 371.0 231.2 98.6
38 -04 -1928 Aug 19 17:25:21 44722 -48576 T- pp -0.1117 2.6946 1.6122 373.1 233.0 102.1
39 -03 -1910 Aug 31 00:44:07 44292 -48353 T- pp -0.0731 2.7679 1.6804 374.8 234.0 103.9
40 -02 -1892 Sep 10 08:11:00 43865 -48130 T- pp -0.0416 2.8281 1.7359 376.1 234.6 104.8
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
41 -01 -1874 Sep 21 15:46:41 43439 -47907 T- pp -0.0177 2.8742 1.7777 377.1 234.9 105.1
42 00 -1856 Oct 01 23:29:24 43016 -47684 T+ pp 0.0003 2.9081 1.8078 377.9 235.0 105.0
43 01 -1838 Oct 13 07:19:54 42595 -47461 T+ pp 0.0117 2.8886 1.7853 378.6 235.1 104.9
44 02 -1820 Oct 23 15:15:07 42176 -47238 T+ pp 0.0191 2.8762 1.7706 379.0 235.1 104.8
45 03 -1802 Nov 03 23:14:11 41758 -47015 T+ pp 0.0233 2.8692 1.7621 379.4 235.1 104.7
46 04 -1784 Nov 14 07:15:24 41343 -46792 T+ pp 0.0259 2.8649 1.7571 379.5 235.1 104.7
47 05 -1766 Nov 25 15:17:28 40930 -46569 T+ pp 0.0280 2.8609 1.7533 379.5 235.1 104.7
48 06 -1748 Dec 05 23:16:41 40520 -46346 T+ pp 0.0323 2.8524 1.7459 379.3 235.1 104.7
49 07 -1730 Dec 17 07:12:40 40111 -46123 T+ pp 0.0394 2.8384 1.7338 379.0 235.1 104.6
50 08 -1712 Dec 27 15:02:57 39704 -45900 T+ pp 0.0514 2.8151 1.7132 378.4 234.9 104.4
51 09 -1693 Jan 07 22:47:52 39299 -45677 T+ pp 0.0681 2.7828 1.6841 377.7 234.7 103.9
52 10 -1675 Jan 18 06:22:49 38897 -45454 T+ pp 0.0931 2.7349 1.6402 376.6 234.1 103.0
53 11 -1657 Jan 29 13:50:58 38496 -45231 T+ pp 0.1239 2.6763 1.5858 375.3 233.2 101.2
54 12 -1639 Feb 08 21:08:10 38098 -45008 T+ pp 0.1639 2.6005 1.5148 373.5 231.7 98.1
55 13 -1621 Feb 20 04:18:27 37701 -44785 T+ pp 0.2099 2.5136 1.4327 371.1 229.5 93.2
56 14 -1603 Mar 02 11:17:33 37307 -44562 T+ pp 0.2656 2.4089 1.3330 368.0 226.1 85.1
57 15 -1585 Mar 13 18:11:00 36915 -44339 T -p 0.3265 2.2946 1.2237 364.1 221.4 72.5
58 16 -1567 Mar 24 00:55:18 36524 -44116 T -t 0.3951 2.1662 1.1001 359.0 214.9 50.5
59 17 -1549 Apr 04 07:35:04 36136 -43893 P -t 0.4681 2.0299 0.9685 352.9 206.4 -
60 18 -1531 Apr 14 14:08:31 35750 -43670 P -t 0.5468 1.8834 0.8263 345.3 195.2 -
61 19 -1513 Apr 25 20:40:13 35366 -43447 P -t 0.6274 1.7335 0.6805 336.5 181.3 -
62 20 -1495 May 06 03:09:16 34984 -43224 P -t 0.7108 1.5786 0.5292 326.1 163.4 -
63 21 -1477 May 17 09:38:22 34604 -43001 P -t 0.7948 1.4230 0.3767 314.2 140.8 -
64 22 -1459 May 27 16:08:46 34227 -42778 P -t 0.8779 1.2690 0.2254 300.9 111.1 -
65 23 -1441 Jun 07 22:42:36 33851 -42555 P -t 0.9586 1.1197 0.0785 286.3 66.8 -
66 24 -1423 Jun 18 05:20:59 33477 -42332 N -t 1.0362 0.9764 -0.0630 270.5 - -
67 25 -1405 Jun 29 12:05:01 33106 -42109 N -t 1.1098 0.8408 -0.1973 253.7 - -
68 26 -1387 Jul 09 18:56:49 32736 -41886 N -t 1.1776 0.7158 -0.3213 236.2 - -
69 27 -1369 Jul 21 01:57:06 32369 -41663 N -t 1.2389 0.6030 -0.4335 218.5 - -
70 28 -1351 Jul 31 09:05:59 32004 -41440 N -t 1.2939 0.5019 -0.5343 200.6 - -
71 29 -1333 Aug 11 16:25:39 31640 -41217 N -t 1.3410 0.4154 -0.6206 183.4 - -
72 30 -1315 Aug 21 23:55:41 31279 -40994 N -t 1.3807 0.3427 -0.6933 167.2 - -
73 31 -1297 Sep 02 07:37:26 30920 -40771 N -h 1.4116 0.2860 -0.7501 153.0 - -
74 32 -1279 Sep 12 15:28:24 30563 -40548 N -h 1.4361 0.2409 -0.7951 140.6 - -
75 33 -1261 Sep 23 23:30:44 30208 -40325 N -h 1.4524 0.2109 -0.8248 131.5 - -
76 34 -1243 Oct 04 07:41:35 29855 -40102 N -h 1.4629 0.1913 -0.8439 125.0 - -
77 35 -1225 Oct 15 16:01:09 29504 -39879 N -a 1.4674 0.1826 -0.8517 121.8 - -
78 36 -1207 Oct 26 00:26:41 29156 -39656 N -a 1.4681 0.1808 -0.8522 120.8 - -
79 37 -1189 Nov 06 08:58:09 28809 -39433 N -a 1.4650 0.1855 -0.8456 121.9 - -
80 38 -1171 Nov 16 17:32:45 28464 -39210 N -a 1.4601 0.1932 -0.8354 123.9 - -
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
81 39 -1153 Nov 28 02:08:34 28122 -38987 N -a 1.4552 0.2006 -0.8248 125.7 - -
82 40 -1135 Dec 08 10:44:38 27781 -38764 N -a 1.4508 0.2067 -0.8150 127.1 - -
83 41 -1117 Dec 19 19:18:41 27443 -38541 N -a 1.4490 0.2078 -0.8096 126.9 - -
84 42 -1099 Dec 30 03:49:03 27107 -38318 N -a 1.4508 0.2022 -0.8104 124.8 - -
85 43 -1080 Jan 10 12:14:04 26772 -38095 N -a 1.4576 0.1872 -0.8202 119.7 - -
86 44 -1062 Jan 20 20:33:46 26440 -37872 N -a 1.4694 0.1626 -0.8392 111.4 - -
87 45 -1044 Feb 01 04:47:06 26110 -37649 N -a 1.4873 0.1268 -0.8693 98.3 - -
88 46 -1026 Feb 11 12:52:12 25782 -37426 N -a 1.5125 0.0775 -0.9125 76.9 - -
89 47 -1008 Feb 22 20:50:37 25456 -37203 Ne -a 1.5437 0.0173 -0.9668 36.4 - -
[1] The Moon's orbit is inclined about 5 degrees to Earth's orbit around the Sun. The points where the lunar orbit intersects the plane of Earth's orbit are known as the nodes. The Moon moves from south to north of Earth's orbit at the ascending node, and from north to south at the descending node.
[2]Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when Moon passes closest to the axis of Earth's shadow.
The Gregorian calendar is used for all dates from 1582 Oct 15 onwards. Before that date, the Julian calendar is used. For more information on this topic, see Calendar Dates. The Julian calendar does not include the year 0. Thus the year 1 BCE is followed by the year 1 CE (See: BCE/CE Dating Conventions ). This is awkward for arithmetic calculations. Years in this catalog are numbered astronomically and include the year 0. Historians should note there is a difference of one year between astronomical dates and BCE dates. Thus, the astronomical year 0 corresponds to 1 BCE, and astronomical year -1 corresponds to 2 BCE, etc..
The coordinates of the Sun used in these predictions are based on the VSOP87 theory [Bretagnon and Francou, 1988]. The Moon's coordinates are based on the ELP-2000/82 theory [Chapront-Touze and Chapront, 1983]. For more information, see: Solar and Lunar Ephemerides. The revised value used for the Moon's secular acceleration is n-dot = -25.858 arc-sec/cy*cy, as deduced from the Apollo lunar laser ranging experiment (Chapront, Chapront-Touze, and Francou, 2002).
The largest uncertainty in the eclipse predictions is caused by fluctuations in Earth's rotation due primarily to tidal friction of the Moon. The resultant drift in apparent clock time is expressed as ΔT and is determined as follows:
A series of polynomial expressions have been derived to simplify the evaluation of ΔT for any time from -1999 to +3000. The uncertainty in ΔT over this period can be estimated from scatter in the measurements.
The Besselian elements used in the predictions were kindly provided by Jean Meeus. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Some of the information presented on this web site is based on data originally published in Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 and Five Millennium Catalog of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:
"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)"
