Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 109

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 109 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 0736 Jun 27. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 1998 Aug 08. The total duration of Saros series 109 is 1262.11 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  0736 Jun 27   22:44:48 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  1998 Aug 08   02:25:57 TD

                      Duration of Saros 109  =  1262.11 Years

Saros 109 is composed of 71 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 109
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 71100.0%
PenumbralN 15 21.1%
PartialP 39 54.9%
TotalT 17 23.9%

The 71 lunar eclipses in Saros 109 occur in the order of 8N 20P 17T 19P 7N which corresponds to:

                                     8  Penumbral
                                    20  Partial
                                    17  Total
                                    19  Partial
                                     7  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 109 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1349 Jul 01      Duration = 01h39m45s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1529 Oct 17      Duration = 00h01m41s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1547 Oct 28      Duration = 03h04m09s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    0880 Sep 22      Duration = 00h48m35s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    0862 Sep 12      Duration = 04h29m19s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1998 Aug 08      Duration = 01h36m25s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 109 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1547 Oct 28      Magnitude = 0.9651
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    0880 Sep 22      Magnitude = 0.0430

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 109 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 109

                          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   0736 Jun 27  22:44:48   3471 -15628   N   t-  -1.4922  0.1422 -0.9019  112.6    -      -  
 02  -33   0754 Jul 09  05:26:24   3316 -15405   N   t-  -1.4101  0.2919 -0.7505  158.6    -      -  
 03  -32   0772 Jul 19  12:13:23   3164 -15182   N   t-  -1.3311  0.4363 -0.6048  190.7    -      -  
 04  -31   0790 Jul 30  19:07:33   3015 -14959   N   t-  -1.2566  0.5725 -0.4677  215.0    -      -  
 05  -30   0808 Aug 10  02:09:44   2869 -14736   N   t-  -1.1873  0.6994 -0.3402  233.9    -      -  
 06  -29   0826 Aug 21  09:21:41   2727 -14513   N   t-  -1.1250  0.8134 -0.2259  248.6    -      -  
 07  -28   0844 Aug 31  16:41:53   2588 -14290   N   h-  -1.0684  0.9173 -0.1220  260.4    -      -  
 08  -27   0862 Sep 12  00:13:30   2453 -14067   Nx  h-  -1.0201  1.0059 -0.0333  269.3    -      -  
 09  -26   0880 Sep 22  07:54:42   2322 -13844   P   a-  -0.9785  1.0823  0.0430  276.2   48.6    -  
 10  -25   0898 Oct 03  15:47:13   2195 -13621   P   a-  -0.9452  1.1433  0.1041  281.2   74.7    -  

 11  -24   0916 Oct 13  23:48:01   2072 -13398   P   a-  -0.9178  1.1935  0.1546  284.8   90.1    -  
 12  -23   0934 Oct 25  07:58:55   1953 -13175   P   a-  -0.8978  1.2298  0.1915  287.0   99.4    -  
 13  -22   0952 Nov 04  16:16:46   1839 -12952   P   a-  -0.8826  1.2573  0.2199  288.4  105.8    -  
 14  -21   0970 Nov 16  00:41:26   1730 -12729   P   a-  -0.8722  1.2758  0.2397  289.0  109.8    -  
 15  -20   0988 Nov 26  09:10:40   1625 -12506   P   a-  -0.8647  1.2885  0.2543  289.0  112.5    -  
 16  -19   1006 Dec 07  17:43:42   1524 -12283   P   a-  -0.8595  1.2968  0.2651  288.6  114.4    -  
 17  -18   1024 Dec 18  02:18:03   1429 -12060   P   a-  -0.8549  1.3037  0.2750  288.1  116.0    -  
 18  -17   1042 Dec 29  10:51:45   1338 -11837   P   a-  -0.8490  1.3126  0.2877  287.7  118.1    -  
 19  -16   1061 Jan 08  19:24:07   1251 -11614   P   a-  -0.8414  1.3246  0.3038  287.5  120.7    -  
 20  -15   1079 Jan 20  03:53:25   1169 -11391   P   a-  -0.8304  1.3424  0.3263  287.7  124.4    -  

 21  -14   1097 Jan 30  12:17:27   1092 -11168   P   a-  -0.8144  1.3691  0.3581  288.5  129.3    -  
 22  -13   1115 Feb 10  20:36:02   1018 -10945   P   a-  -0.7934  1.4049  0.3994  289.9  135.4    -  
 23  -12   1133 Feb 21  04:48:14    950 -10722   P   a-  -0.7663  1.4517  0.4520  291.8  142.5    -  
 24  -11   1151 Mar 04  12:54:24    885 -10499   P   a-  -0.7334  1.5091  0.5151  294.3  150.2    -  
 25  -10   1169 Mar 14  20:52:04    824 -10276   P   a-  -0.6927  1.5808  0.5927  297.4  158.8    -  
 26  -09   1187 Mar 26  04:44:00    767 -10053   P   a-  -0.6465  1.6627  0.6803  300.7  167.3    -  
 27  -08   1205 Apr 05  12:28:31    714  -9830   P   a-  -0.5935  1.7572  0.7804  304.2  175.8    -  
 28  -07   1223 Apr 16  20:07:47    664  -9607   P   a-  -0.5354  1.8613  0.8897  307.7  183.8    -  
 29  -06   1241 Apr 27  03:40:38    618  -9384   T   a-  -0.4710  1.9770  1.0102  311.1  191.2   15.3
 30  -05   1259 May 08  11:10:18    574  -9161   T   a-  -0.4034  2.0988  1.1365  314.1  197.6   53.8

 31  -04   1277 May 18  18:36:13    534  -8938   T   a-  -0.3321  2.2277  1.2691  316.6  203.1   72.3
 32  -03   1295 May 30  01:59:34    496  -8715   T-  p-  -0.2580  2.3620  1.4067  318.6  207.4   84.6
 33  -02   1313 Jun 09  09:22:06    460  -8492   T-  p-  -0.1828  2.4987  1.5459  319.9  210.5   92.7
 34  -01   1331 Jun 20  16:44:34    427  -8269   T-  pp  -0.1072  2.6363  1.6856  320.6  212.4   97.6
 35   00   1349 Jul 01  00:09:20    396  -8046   T-  pp  -0.0330  2.7719  1.8225  320.6  213.1   99.8
 36   01   1367 Jul 12  07:35:23    366  -7823   T+  pp   0.0404  2.7579  1.8092  319.9  212.7   99.5
 37   02   1385 Jul 22  15:06:49    339  -7600   T+  pp   0.1096  2.6310  1.6824  318.7  211.3   97.1
 38   03   1403 Aug 02  22:42:18    313  -7377   T+  -p   0.1755  2.5103  1.5612  317.1  209.1   92.7
 39   04   1421 Aug 13  06:24:23    288  -7154   T+  -p   0.2363  2.3993  1.4492  315.1  206.2   86.6
 40   05   1439 Aug 24  14:12:06    265  -6931   T   -p   0.2925  2.2968  1.3451  312.9  202.9   78.7


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 109

                          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   1457 Sep 03  22:08:21    243  -6708   T   -p   0.3420  2.2069  1.2534  310.6  199.3   69.5
 42   07   1475 Sep 15  06:11:44    222  -6485   T   -p   0.3855  2.1282  1.1726  308.5  195.7   58.8
 43   08   1493 Sep 25  14:23:01    202  -6262   T   -p   0.4226  2.0613  1.1033  306.4  192.2   46.4
 44   09   1511 Oct 06  22:42:06    184  -6039   T   -a   0.4533  2.0061  1.0457  304.7  189.0   31.4
 45   10   1529 Oct 17  07:09:32    167  -5816   T   -a   0.4775  1.9630  1.0001  303.3  186.3    1.7
 46   11   1547 Oct 28  15:43:40    152  -5593   P   -a   0.4960  1.9303  0.9651  302.2  184.2    -  
 47   12   1565 Nov 08  00:23:49    138  -5370   P   -a   0.5096  1.9065  0.9391  301.4  182.5    -  
 48   13   1583 Nov 29  09:08:53    127  -5147   P   -a   0.5191  1.8900  0.9208  301.0  181.3    -  
 49   14   1601 Dec 09  17:58:33    116  -4924   P   -a   0.5249  1.8800  0.9092  300.8  180.6    -  
 50   15   1619 Dec 21  02:49:28     94  -4701   P   -a   0.5298  1.8716  0.8997  300.7  180.0    -  

 51   16   1637 Dec 31  11:42:25     67  -4478   P   -a   0.5331  1.8660  0.8934  300.7  179.7    -  
 52   17   1656 Jan 11  20:33:34     40  -4255   P   -a   0.5380  1.8571  0.8843  300.5  179.2    -  
 53   18   1674 Jan 22  05:23:56     19  -4032   P   -a   0.5433  1.8472  0.8745  300.4  178.6    -  
 54   19   1692 Feb 02  14:08:39      8  -3809   P   -a   0.5536  1.8281  0.8560  299.8  177.5    -  
 55   20   1710 Feb 13  22:50:15      9  -3586   P   -a   0.5663  1.8043  0.8330  299.1  176.0    -  
 56   21   1728 Feb 25  07:24:24     10  -3363   P   -a   0.5855  1.7687  0.7984  297.8  173.5    -  
 57   22   1746 Mar 07  15:52:17     12  -3140   P   -a   0.6096  1.7239  0.7548  296.0  170.2    -  
 58   23   1764 Mar 18  00:11:05     15  -2917   P   -a   0.6410  1.6655  0.6976  293.5  165.5    -  
 59   24   1782 Mar 29  08:23:07     17  -2694   P   -a   0.6778  1.5974  0.6307  290.3  159.4    -  
 60   25   1800 Apr 09  16:26:01     13  -2471   P   -a   0.7221  1.5157  0.5500  286.0  151.0    -  

 61   26   1818 Apr 21  00:20:29     12  -2248   P   -a   0.7728  1.4222  0.4572  280.7  140.0    -  
 62   27   1836 May 01  08:06:48      5  -2025   P   -a   0.8299  1.3173  0.3528  274.0  125.2    -  
 63   28   1854 May 12  15:46:09      7  -1802   P   -a   0.8919  1.2035  0.2389  266.0  105.0    -  
 64   29   1872 May 22  23:18:24     -1  -1579   P   -a   0.9592  1.0801  0.1151  256.1   74.3    -  
 65   30   1890 Jun 03  06:44:42     -6  -1356   N   -a   1.0309  0.9492 -0.0168  244.1    -      -  
 66   31   1908 Jun 14  14:06:32      8  -1133   N   -a   1.1053  0.8135 -0.1541  229.9    -      -  
 67   32   1926 Jun 25  21:25:07     24   -910   N   -a   1.1814  0.6749 -0.2948  213.1    -      -  
 68   33   1944 Jul 06  04:40:01     27   -687   N   -a   1.2596  0.5328 -0.4398  192.7    -      -  
 69   34   1962 Jul 17  11:54:49     34   -464   N   -a   1.3370  0.3924 -0.5835  168.3    -      -  
 70   35   1980 Jul 27  19:08:59     51   -241   N   -a   1.4138  0.2535 -0.7264  137.5    -      -  

 71   36   1998 Aug 08  02:25:57     63    -18   N   -a   1.4875  0.1206 -0.8637   96.4    -      -  


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