Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 23

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 23 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 -1825 Feb 25. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -0527 Apr 14. The total duration of Saros series 23 is 1298.17 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse = -1825 Feb 25   16:58:50 TD
                       Last Eclipse = -0527 Apr 14   19:28:57 TD

                      Duration of Saros  23  =  1298.17 Years

Saros 23 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 23
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 73100.0%
PenumbralN 30 41.1%
PartialP 15 20.5%
TotalT 28 38.4%

The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 23 occur in the order of 8N 6P 28T 9P 22N which corresponds to:

                                     8  Penumbral
                                     6  Partial
                                    28  Total
                                     9  Partial
                                    22  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 23 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -1212 Feb 28      Duration = 01h41m56s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -1573 Jul 26      Duration = 00h23m34s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1591 Jul 15      Duration = 03h20m49s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0924 Aug 19      Duration = 00h29m45s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -1699 May 11      Duration = 04h47m01s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0527 Apr 14      Duration = 01h13m06s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 23 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1068 May 24      Magnitude = 0.9175
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0924 Aug 19      Magnitude = 0.0184

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 23 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 23

                          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  -34  -1825 Feb 25  16:58:50  42307 -47308   N   t-  -1.5387  0.0766 -1.0068   86.0    -      -  
 02  -33  -1807 Mar 07  23:49:11  41889 -47085   N   t-  -1.4800  0.1827 -0.8975  131.5    -      -  
 03  -32  -1789 Mar 19  06:32:35  41473 -46862   N   t-  -1.4150  0.3002 -0.7767  166.6    -      -  
 04  -31  -1771 Mar 29  13:06:10  41060 -46639   N   t-  -1.3417  0.4333 -0.6406  197.5    -      -  
 05  -30  -1753 Apr 09  19:35:43  40648 -46416   N   t-  -1.2645  0.5736 -0.4975  224.0    -      -  
 06  -29  -1735 Apr 20  01:58:14  40239 -46193   N   t-  -1.1811  0.7253 -0.3433  247.8    -      -  
 07  -28  -1717 May 01  08:19:01  39831 -45970   N   t-  -1.0955  0.8813 -0.1851  268.6    -      -  
 08  -27  -1699 May 11  14:36:06  39426 -45747   Nx  t-  -1.0060  1.0446 -0.0201  287.0    -      -  
 09  -26  -1681 May 22  20:55:07  39023 -45524   P   t-  -0.9173  1.2066  0.1435  302.6   91.4    -  
 10  -25  -1663 Jun 02  03:14:41  38622 -45301   P   t-  -0.8284  1.3692  0.3070  316.0  130.4    -  

 11  -24  -1645 Jun 13  09:37:51  38222 -45078   P   t-  -0.7416  1.5282  0.4666  327.2  156.6    -  
 12  -23  -1627 Jun 23  16:06:05  37825 -44855   P   t-  -0.6582  1.6812  0.6198  336.3  175.8    -  
 13  -22  -1609 Jul 04  22:40:59  37430 -44632   P   t-  -0.5795  1.8256  0.7641  343.5  190.1    -  
 14  -21  -1591 Jul 15  05:24:02  37037 -44409   P   t-  -0.5065  1.9598  0.8979  349.1  200.8    -  
 15  -20  -1573 Jul 26  12:15:10  36647 -44186   T   t-  -0.4392  2.0835  1.0210  353.4  208.8   23.6
 16  -19  -1555 Aug 05  19:17:23  36258 -43963   T   t-  -0.3804  2.1920  1.1286  356.3  214.5   56.3
 17  -18  -1537 Aug 17  02:29:32  35871 -43740   T   t-  -0.3289  2.2868  1.2226  358.3  218.5   71.5
 18  -17  -1519 Aug 27  09:53:02  35487 -43517   T   p-  -0.2859  2.3663  1.3012  359.5  221.2   80.7
 19  -16  -1501 Sep 07  17:26:56  35104 -43294   T-  p-  -0.2505  2.4315  1.3657  360.0  222.9   86.5
 20  -15  -1483 Sep 18  01:12:25  34723 -43071   T-  p-  -0.2237  2.4809  1.4146  360.1  223.8   90.1

 21  -14  -1465 Sep 29  09:07:03  34345 -42848   T-  p-  -0.2039  2.5173  1.4509  359.8  224.2   92.3
 22  -13  -1447 Oct 09  17:10:08  33969 -42625   T-  p-  -0.1903  2.5421  1.4761  359.1  224.2   93.6
 23  -12  -1429 Oct 21  01:20:42  33594 -42402   T-  p-  -0.1820  2.5568  1.4916  358.3  224.0   94.2
 24  -11  -1411 Oct 31  09:37:50  33222 -42179   T-  p-  -0.1783  2.5629  1.4992  357.2  223.5   94.4
 25  -10  -1393 Nov 11  17:58:21  32852 -41956   T-  p-  -0.1767  2.5647  1.5032  356.0  223.0   94.4
 26  -09  -1375 Nov 22  02:21:21  32484 -41733   T-  p-  -0.1764  2.5638  1.5052  354.6  222.5   94.3
 27  -08  -1357 Dec 03  10:44:35  32118 -41510   T-  p-  -0.1755  2.5637  1.5087  353.2  222.0   94.3
 28  -07  -1339 Dec 13  19:07:44  31754 -41287   T-  p-  -0.1736  2.5650  1.5142  351.8  221.6   94.5
 29  -06  -1321 Dec 25  03:26:11  31392 -41064   T-  p-  -0.1670  2.5747  1.5289  350.3  221.3   95.0
 30  -05  -1302 Jan 04  11:42:00  31033 -40841   T-  p-  -0.1572  2.5900  1.5495  348.9  221.2   95.9

 31  -04  -1284 Jan 15  19:50:45  30675 -40618   T-  p-  -0.1404  2.6176  1.5832  347.6  221.2   97.2
 32  -03  -1266 Jan 26  03:54:43  30319 -40395   T-  p-  -0.1190  2.6538  1.6256  346.2  221.4   98.6
 33  -02  -1248 Feb 06  11:49:34  29966 -40172   T-  pp  -0.0888  2.7059  1.6842  344.8  221.5  100.1
 34  -01  -1230 Feb 16  19:39:20  29614 -39949   T-  pp  -0.0534  2.7675  1.7524  343.4  221.6  101.3
 35   00  -1212 Feb 28  03:20:05  29265 -39726   T-  pp  -0.0095  2.8449  1.8364  341.8  221.4  101.9
 36   01  -1194 Mar 10  10:54:44  28918 -39503   T+  pp   0.0405  2.7846  1.7827  339.9  220.7  101.5
 37   02  -1176 Mar 20  18:21:43  28572 -39280   T+  pp   0.0977  2.6766  1.6808  337.6  219.3   99.6
 38   03  -1158 Apr 01  01:44:23  28229 -39057   T+  pp   0.1593  2.5605  1.5707  334.7  217.0   95.8
 39   04  -1140 Apr 11  09:01:41  27888 -38834   T+  pp   0.2264  2.4346  1.4503  331.3  213.7   89.2
 40   05  -1122 Apr 22  16:15:22  27549 -38611   T   -p   0.2973  2.3019  1.3226  327.1  209.1   79.1


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 23

                          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   06  -1104 May 02  23:26:51  27212 -38388   T   -p   0.3708  2.1649  1.1900  322.1  203.2   63.3
 42   07  -1086 May 14  06:37:19  26877 -38165   T   -a   0.4458  2.0254  1.0544  316.4  195.7   35.2
 43   08  -1068 May 24  13:48:02  26544 -37942   P   -a   0.5212  1.8853  0.9175  309.8  186.6    -  
 44   09  -1050 Jun 04  21:00:16  26214 -37719   P   -a   0.5962  1.7464  0.7811  302.5  175.8    -  
 45   10  -1032 Jun 15  04:16:03  25885 -37496   P   -a   0.6690  1.6119  0.6485  294.6  163.2    -  
 46   11  -1014 Jun 26  11:36:32  25558 -37273   P   -a   0.7383  1.4841  0.5220  286.2  149.0    -  
 47   12  -0996 Jul 06  19:01:42  25234 -37050   P   -a   0.8044  1.3624  0.4010  277.4  132.7    -  
 48   13  -0978 Jul 18  02:34:21  24911 -36827   P   -a   0.8649  1.2513  0.2901  268.6  114.4    -  
 49   14  -0960 Jul 28  10:13:34  24591 -36604   P   -a   0.9205  1.1496  0.1879  259.8   93.3    -  
 50   15  -0942 Aug 08  18:01:57  24273 -36381   P   -a   0.9691  1.0608  0.0984  251.6   68.2    -  

 51   16  -0924 Aug 19  01:57:19  23956 -36158   P   -a   1.0124  0.9820  0.0184  243.7   29.8    -  
 52   17  -0906 Aug 30  10:02:56  23642 -35935   N   -a   1.0475  0.9181 -0.0468  236.9    -      -  
 53   18  -0888 Sep 09  18:16:20  23330 -35712   N   -a   1.0768  0.8651 -0.1013  230.9    -      -  
 54   19  -0870 Sep 21  02:39:04  23020 -35489   N   -a   1.0989  0.8253 -0.1425  226.2    -      -  
 55   20  -0852 Oct 01  11:09:09  22712 -35266   N   -a   1.1154  0.7958 -0.1736  222.6    -      -  
 56   21  -0834 Oct 12  19:47:07  22406 -35043   N   -a   1.1260  0.7770 -0.1936  220.2    -      -  
 57   22  -0816 Oct 23  04:30:47  22102 -34820   N   -a   1.1321  0.7663 -0.2054  218.8    -      -  
 58   23  -0798 Nov 03  13:18:53  21801 -34597   N   -a   1.1352  0.7610 -0.2113  218.0    -      -  
 59   24  -0780 Nov 13  22:10:51  21501 -34374   N   -a   1.1354  0.7607 -0.2119  217.8    -      -  
 60   25  -0762 Nov 25  07:04:43  21203 -34151   N   -a   1.1349  0.7615 -0.2108  217.8    -      -  

 61   26  -0744 Dec 05  15:58:42  20908 -33928   N   -a   1.1345  0.7620 -0.2097  217.8    -      -  
 62   27  -0726 Dec 17  00:50:34  20614 -33705   N   -a   1.1363  0.7582 -0.2124  217.2    -      -  
 63   28  -0708 Dec 27  09:39:42  20323 -33482   N   -a   1.1405  0.7496 -0.2196  216.1    -      -  
 64   29  -0689 Jan 07  18:24:31  20034 -33259   N   -a   1.1489  0.7333 -0.2339  214.0    -      -  
 65   30  -0671 Jan 18  03:02:42  19746 -33036   N   -a   1.1628  0.7067 -0.2585  210.6    -      -  
 66   31  -0653 Jan 29  11:34:26  19461 -32813   N   -a   1.1823  0.6698 -0.2931  205.8    -      -  
 67   32  -0635 Feb 08  19:58:04  19178 -32590   N   -a   1.2085  0.6206 -0.3400  199.1    -      -  
 68   33  -0617 Feb 20  04:14:04  18897 -32367   N   -a   1.2409  0.5599 -0.3984  190.3    -      -  
 69   34  -0599 Mar 02  12:20:32  18618 -32144   N   -a   1.2812  0.4850 -0.4712  178.5    -      -  
 70   35  -0581 Mar 13  20:19:31  18341 -31921   N   -a   1.3274  0.3991 -0.5551  163.4    -      -  

 71   36  -0563 Mar 24  04:10:03  18066 -31698   N   -a   1.3803  0.3013 -0.6514  143.4    -      -  
 72   37  -0545 Apr 04  11:52:54  17794 -31475   N   -a   1.4393  0.1925 -0.7590  115.9    -      -  
 73   38  -0527 Apr 14  19:28:57  17523 -31252   Ne  -a   1.5033  0.0747 -0.8762   73.1    -      -  


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