Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 13

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 13 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 -2313 May 20. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -1015 Jul 06. The total duration of Saros series 13 is 1298.17 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse = -2313 May 20   18:51:42 TD
                       Last Eclipse = -1015 Jul 06   23:21:46 TD

                      Duration of Saros  13  =  1298.17 Years

Saros 13 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 13
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 73100.0%
PenumbralN 22 30.1%
PartialP 38 52.1%
TotalT 13 17.8%

The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 13 occur in the order of 11N 7P 3N 11P 13T 20P 8N which corresponds to:

                                    11  Penumbral
                                     7  Partial
                                     3  Penumbral
                                    11  Partial
                                    13  Total
                                    20  Partial
                                     8  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 13 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -1646 Jun 24      Duration = 01h46m17s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -1520 Sep 07      Duration = 00h22m23s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1502 Sep 18      Duration = 03h28m10s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -2007 Nov 20      Duration = 00h05m46s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -1953 Dec 23      Duration = 04h34m16s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -1015 Jul 06      Duration = 00h42m17s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 13 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1502 Sep 18      Magnitude = 0.9632
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -2007 Nov 20      Magnitude = 0.0006

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 13 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.



Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 13

                          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  -37  -2313 May 20  18:51:42  54396 -53341   Nb  a-  -1.5253  0.0384 -0.9207   53.3    -      -  
 02  -36  -2295 May 31  02:06:54  53922 -53118   N   a-  -1.4575  0.1645 -0.7979  109.6    -      -  
 03  -35  -2277 Jun 11  09:21:44  53450 -52895   N   a-  -1.3902  0.2901 -0.6764  144.3    -      -  
 04  -34  -2259 Jun 21  16:40:14  52980 -52672   N   a-  -1.3265  0.4094 -0.5617  170.2    -      -  
 05  -33  -2241 Jul 03  00:01:14  52513 -52449   N   a-  -1.2653  0.5243 -0.4520  191.3    -      -  
 06  -32  -2223 Jul 13  07:28:19  52047 -52226   N   a-  -1.2098  0.6288 -0.3530  208.3    -      -  
 07  -31  -2205 Jul 24  15:00:15  51584 -52003   N   a-  -1.1591  0.7249 -0.2630  222.4    -      -  
 08  -30  -2187 Aug 03  22:38:46  51122 -51780   N   a-  -1.1147  0.8096 -0.1845  234.1    -      -  
 09  -29  -2169 Aug 15  06:24:15  50663 -51557   N   a-  -1.0769  0.8823 -0.1183  243.7    -      -  
 10  -28  -2151 Aug 25  14:17:46  50206 -51334   N   a-  -1.0464  0.9413 -0.0657  251.4    -      -  

 11  -27  -2133 Sep 05  22:18:30  49751 -51111   N   a-  -1.0225  0.9884 -0.0250  257.5    -      -  
 12  -26  -2115 Sep 16  06:26:40  49298 -50888   P   a-  -1.0055  1.0228  0.0032  262.2   13.0    -  
 13  -25  -2097 Sep 27  14:41:32  48846 -50665   P   a-  -0.9947  1.0456  0.0200  265.6   32.5    -  
 14  -24  -2079 Oct 07  23:02:23  48398 -50442   P   a-  -0.9896  1.0578  0.0268  268.0   37.7    -  
 15  -23  -2061 Oct 19  07:26:59  47951 -50219   P   a-  -0.9883  1.0627  0.0267  269.6   37.7    -  
 16  -22  -2043 Oct 29  15:55:34  47506 -49996   P   a-  -0.9908  1.0602  0.0199  270.5   32.7    -  
 17  -21  -2025 Nov 10  00:25:11  47063 -49773   P   a-  -0.9947  1.0549  0.0109  271.0   24.3    -  
 18  -20  -2007 Nov 20  08:54:47  46622 -49550   P   h-  -0.9995  1.0476  0.0006  271.3    5.8    -  
 19  -19  -1989 Dec 01  17:21:02  46184 -49327   Nx  h-  -1.0024  1.0436 -0.0058  271.9    -      -  
 20  -18  -1971 Dec 12  01:44:10  45747 -49104   Nx  h-  -1.0035  1.0424 -0.0087  272.7    -      -  

 21  -17  -1953 Dec 23  10:01:00  45313 -48881   Nx  h-  -1.0001  1.0493 -0.0030  274.3    -      -  
 22  -16  -1934 Jan 02  18:10:11  44880 -48658   P   h-  -0.9913  1.0656  0.0128  276.8   26.7    -  
 23  -15  -1916 Jan 14  02:10:19  44450 -48435   P   t-  -0.9760  1.0938  0.0407  280.4   47.6    -  
 24  -14  -1898 Jan 24  10:00:54  44022 -48212   P   t-  -0.9537  1.1347  0.0817  285.2   67.3    -  
 25  -13  -1880 Feb 04  17:41:24  43596 -47989   P   t-  -0.9239  1.1892  0.1365  291.1   86.6    -  
 26  -12  -1862 Feb 15  01:10:16  43171 -47766   P   t-  -0.8853  1.2598  0.2075  298.2  106.0    -  
 27  -11  -1844 Feb 26  08:28:57  42749 -47543   P   t-  -0.8390  1.3447  0.2927  306.0  124.7    -  
 28  -10  -1826 Mar 08  15:36:35  42329 -47320   P   t-  -0.7844  1.4448  0.3931  314.5  142.7    -  
 29  -09  -1808 Mar 18  22:34:42  41912 -47097   P   t-  -0.7225  1.5582  0.5066  323.1  159.6    -  
 30  -08  -1790 Mar 30  05:23:07  41496 -46874   P   t-  -0.6532  1.6855  0.6338  331.9  175.4    -  

 31  -07  -1772 Apr 09  12:04:16  41082 -46651   P   t-  -0.5785  1.8227  0.7705  340.2  189.4    -  
 32  -06  -1754 Apr 20  18:38:47  40670 -46428   P   t-  -0.4989  1.9693  0.9161  347.9  201.8    -  
 33  -05  -1736 May 01  01:06:59  40261 -46205   T   t-  -0.4147  2.1245  1.0701  354.9  212.4   42.6
 34  -04  -1718 May 12  07:31:52  39853 -45982   T   tp  -0.3284  2.2837  1.2276  360.8  220.9   73.0
 35  -03  -1700 May 22  13:54:01  39448 -45759   T-  pp  -0.2406  2.4458  1.3875  365.6  227.4   89.9
 36  -02  -1682 Jun 02  20:16:30  39044 -45536   T-  pp  -0.1534  2.6072  1.5464  369.1  231.9  100.0
 37  -01  -1664 Jun 13  02:38:41  38643 -45313   T-  pp  -0.0666  2.7680  1.7042  371.5  234.5  105.2
 38   00  -1646 Jun 24  09:04:57  38244 -45090   T+  pp   0.0164  2.8616  1.7946  372.8  235.2  106.3
 39   01  -1628 Jul 04  15:35:10  37847 -44867   T+  pp   0.0954  2.7186  1.6479  373.0  234.4  103.9
 40   02  -1610 Jul 15  22:11:14  37452 -44644   T+  pp   0.1691  2.5851  1.5108  372.4  232.2   98.4


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 13

                          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   03  -1592 Jul 26  04:54:09  37058 -44421   T+  pp   0.2370  2.4626  1.3842  371.1  228.9   89.9
 42   04  -1574 Aug 06  11:45:42  36668 -44198   T   -p   0.2976  2.3535  1.2710  369.4  224.8   78.9
 43   05  -1556 Aug 16  18:46:42  36279 -43975   T   -t   0.3500  2.2593  1.1727  367.5  220.5   65.2
 44   06  -1538 Aug 28  01:55:56  35892 -43752   T   -t   0.3956  2.1777  1.0873  365.4  216.0   47.6
 45   07  -1520 Sep 07  09:16:04  35507 -43529   T   -t   0.4321  2.1126  1.0184  363.6  211.8   22.4
 46   08  -1502 Sep 18  16:45:04  35125 -43306   P   -t   0.4613  2.0606  0.9632  361.9  208.2    -  
 47   09  -1484 Sep 29  00:24:04  34744 -43083   P   -t   0.4825  2.0232  0.9230  360.6  205.2    -  
 48   10  -1466 Oct 10  08:09:24  34365 -42860   P   -t   0.4984  1.9950  0.8926  359.5  202.9    -  
 49   11  -1448 Oct 20  16:02:59  33989 -42637   P   -t   0.5078  1.9787  0.8747  358.8  201.4    -  
 50   12  -1430 Nov 01  00:00:34  33615 -42414   P   -t   0.5139  1.9679  0.8631  358.1  200.3    -  

 51   13  -1412 Nov 11  08:02:12  33242 -42191   P   -t   0.5169  1.9623  0.8576  357.6  199.7    -  
 52   14  -1394 Nov 22  16:04:46  32872 -41968   P   -t   0.5194  1.9573  0.8535  356.9  199.2    -  
 53   15  -1376 Dec 03  00:08:15  32504 -41745   P   -t   0.5216  1.9524  0.8503  356.2  198.8    -  
 54   16  -1358 Dec 14  08:08:27  32138 -41522   P   -t   0.5266  1.9420  0.8424  355.0  197.9    -  
 55   17  -1340 Dec 24  16:05:25  31774 -41299   P   -t   0.5346  1.9256  0.8294  353.4  196.6    -  
 56   18  -1321 Jan 04  23:56:45  31412 -41076   P   -t   0.5477  1.8995  0.8074  351.3  194.4    -  
 57   19  -1303 Jan 15  07:42:58  31052 -40853   P   -t   0.5657  1.8641  0.7766  348.5  191.4    -  
 58   20  -1285 Jan 26  15:19:54  30694 -40630   P   -t   0.5918  1.8136  0.7313  344.9  186.9    -  
 59   21  -1267 Feb 05  22:50:25  30338 -40407   P   -t   0.6236  1.7525  0.6756  340.4  181.0    -  
 60   22  -1249 Feb 17  06:11:28  29985 -40184   P   -t   0.6638  1.6757  0.6047  334.8  173.0    -  

 61   23  -1231 Feb 27  13:26:20  29633 -39961   P   -t   0.7097  1.5885  0.5234  328.1  162.7    -  
 62   24  -1213 Mar 10  20:30:51  29284 -39738   P   -t   0.7647  1.4845  0.4254  319.8  148.6    -  
 63   25  -1195 Mar 21  03:30:44  28936 -39515   P   -t   0.8242  1.3724  0.3191  310.2  130.4    -  
 64   26  -1177 Apr 01  10:22:20  28591 -39292   P   -t   0.8908  1.2475  0.1998  298.7  104.8    -  
 65   27  -1159 Apr 11  17:10:45  28248 -39069   P   -t   0.9605  1.1167  0.0745  285.4   64.9    -  
 66   28  -1141 Apr 22  23:53:24  27906 -38846   N   -t   1.0355  0.9766 -0.0606  269.7    -      -  
 67   29  -1123 May 03  06:35:53  27567 -38623   N   -t   1.1111  0.8355 -0.1971  252.1    -      -  
 68   30  -1105 May 14  13:16:24  27230 -38400   N   -t   1.1887  0.6911 -0.3374  231.6    -      -  
 69   31  -1087 May 24  19:57:56  26895 -38177   N   -t   1.2661  0.5472 -0.4777  208.1    -      -  
 70   32  -1069 Jun 05  02:41:25  26562 -37954   N   -t   1.3423  0.4059 -0.6158  180.9    -      -  

 71   33  -1051 Jun 15  09:29:14  26231 -37731   N   -t   1.4154  0.2705 -0.7486  148.9    -      -  
 72   34  -1033 Jun 26  16:22:30  25902 -37508   N   -t   1.4849  0.1419 -0.8752  108.7    -      -  
 73   35  -1015 Jul 06  23:21:46  25576 -37285   Ne  -t   1.5502  0.0212 -0.9942   42.3    -      -  


Footnotes

[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.


Calendar

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..


Predictions

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:

  1. pre-1950's: ΔT calculated from empirical fits to historical records derived by Morrison and Stephenson (2004)
  2. 1955-present: ΔT obtained from published observations
  3. future: ΔT is extrapolated from current values weighted by the long term trend from tidal effects

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.


Acknowledgments

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)"


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2009 Sep 29