Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 117

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 117 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 1094 Apr 03. The series will end with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 2356 May 15. The total duration of Saros series 117 is 1262.11 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  1094 Apr 03   17:48:02 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  2356 May 15   12:14:44 TD

                      Duration of Saros 117  =  1262.11 Years

Saros 117 is composed of 71 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 117
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 71100.0%
PenumbralN 31 43.7%
PartialP 16 22.5%
TotalT 24 33.8%

The 71 lunar eclipses in Saros 117 occur in the order of 8N 9P 24T 7P 23N which corresponds to:

                                     8  Penumbral
                                     9  Partial
                                    24  Total
                                     7  Partial
                                    23  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 117 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1707 Apr 17      Duration = 01h45m43s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1815 Jun 21      Duration = 00h14m43s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1382 Sep 23      Duration = 03h29m38s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1238 Jun 29      Duration = 00h50m43s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1220 Jun 17      Duration = 04h29m32s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1094 Apr 03      Duration = 01h00m06s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 117 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1382 Sep 23      Magnitude = 0.9977
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1238 Jun 29      Magnitude = 0.0442

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 117 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 117

                          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   1094 Apr 03  17:48:02   1103 -11203   Nb  t-  -1.5448  0.0414 -0.9944   60.1    -      -  
 02  -33   1112 Apr 14  01:00:10   1030 -10980   N   t-  -1.4900  0.1421 -0.8941  110.7    -      -  
 03  -32   1130 Apr 25  08:04:26    960 -10757   N   t-  -1.4296  0.2535 -0.7835  146.8    -      -  
 04  -31   1148 May 05  14:59:11    895 -10534   N   t-  -1.3620  0.3779 -0.6601  177.8    -      -  
 05  -30   1166 May 16  21:48:48    833 -10311   N   t-  -1.2909  0.5092 -0.5302  204.5    -      -  
 06  -29   1184 May 27  04:31:35    776 -10088   N   t-  -1.2148  0.6497 -0.3916  228.7    -      -  
 07  -28   1202 Jun 07  11:11:59    722  -9865   N   t-  -1.1369  0.7939 -0.2497  250.1    -      -  
 08  -27   1220 Jun 17  17:47:16    672  -9642   N   t-  -1.0553  0.9449 -0.1015  269.5    -      -  
 09  -26   1238 Jun 29  00:23:45    625  -9419   P   t-  -0.9751  1.0937  0.0442  286.4   50.7    -  
 10  -25   1256 Jul 09  06:59:02    581  -9196   P   t-  -0.8945  1.2434  0.1902  301.5  103.3    -  

 11  -24   1274 Jul 20  13:37:14    540  -8973   P   t-  -0.8167  1.3882  0.3311  314.5  133.8    -  
 12  -23   1292 Jul 30  20:17:43    501  -8750   P   t-  -0.7409  1.5294  0.4680  325.8  156.1    -  
 13  -22   1310 Aug 11  03:04:21    466  -8527   P   t-  -0.6706  1.6608  0.5948  335.3  172.8    -  
 14  -21   1328 Aug 21  09:56:15    432  -8304   P   t-  -0.6050  1.7834  0.7127  343.3  185.8    -  
 15  -20   1346 Sep 01  16:54:27    400  -8081   P   t-  -0.5451  1.8959  0.8204  350.0  195.9    -  
 16  -19   1364 Sep 12  00:00:44    371  -7858   P   t-  -0.4920  1.9957  0.9153  355.4  203.7    -  
 17  -18   1382 Sep 23  07:15:12    343  -7635   P   t-  -0.4458  2.0828  0.9977  359.9  209.6    -  
 18  -17   1400 Oct 03  14:38:36    317  -7412   T   t-  -0.4071  2.1561  1.0665  363.4  214.1   41.7
 19  -16   1418 Oct 14  22:09:21    292  -7189   T   t-  -0.3746  2.2179  1.1241  366.2  217.5   56.0
 20  -15   1436 Oct 25  05:49:24    268  -6966   T   p-  -0.3498  2.2654  1.1678  368.4  219.8   64.1

 21  -14   1454 Nov 05  13:35:42    246  -6743   T   p-  -0.3300  2.3033  1.2025  370.0  221.6   69.6
 22  -13   1472 Nov 15  21:28:20    225  -6520   T   p-  -0.3154  2.3313  1.2280  371.2  222.8   73.2
 23  -12   1490 Nov 27  05:25:13    205  -6297   T   p-  -0.3042  2.3528  1.2476  372.1  223.7   75.7
 24  -11   1508 Dec 07  13:26:13    187  -6074   T   p-  -0.2962  2.3681  1.2618  372.7  224.3   77.4
 25  -10   1526 Dec 18  21:27:49    169  -5851   T   p-  -0.2887  2.3819  1.2754  373.1  224.9   79.0
 26  -09   1544 Dec 29  05:29:10    154  -5628   T   p-  -0.2809  2.3961  1.2900  373.4  225.5   80.7
 27  -08   1563 Jan 09  13:28:27    140  -5405   T-  p-  -0.2712  2.4131  1.3084  373.5  226.2   82.6
 28  -07   1581 Jan 19  21:24:57    128  -5182   T-  p-  -0.2589  2.4347  1.3320  373.6  227.0   84.9
 29  -06   1599 Feb 10  05:14:35    119  -4959   T-  p-  -0.2410  2.4661  1.3663  373.8  228.1   88.0
 30  -05   1617 Feb 20  12:58:54     98  -4736   T-  pp  -0.2185  2.5056  1.4091  373.9  229.3   91.4

 31  -04   1635 Mar 03  20:34:50     71  -4513   T-  pp  -0.1889  2.5580  1.4653  374.1  230.7   95.3
 32  -03   1653 Mar 14  04:04:31     44  -4290   T-  pp  -0.1537  2.6205  1.5320  374.1  232.1   98.9
 33  -02   1671 Mar 25  11:23:35     22  -4067   T-  pp  -0.1095  2.6993  1.6154  374.0  233.4  102.3
 34  -01   1689 Apr 04  18:36:37      9  -3844   T-  pp  -0.0599  2.7881  1.7089  373.6  234.2  104.7
 35   00   1707 Apr 17  01:39:36      9  -3621   T-  pp  -0.0018  2.8922  1.8178  372.7  234.4  105.7
 36   01   1725 Apr 27  08:37:09     10  -3398   T+  pp   0.0615  2.7803  1.7107  371.3  233.7  104.8
 37   02   1743 May 08  15:26:08     12  -3175   T+  pp   0.1323  2.6480  1.5829  369.0  231.8  101.1
 38   03   1761 May 18  22:11:58     15  -2952   T+  pp   0.2063  2.5099  1.4493  365.9  228.5   94.1
 39   04   1779 May 30  04:52:10     17  -2729   T   pp   0.2853  2.3629  1.3064  361.7  223.4   82.1
 40   05   1797 Jun 09  11:30:23     14  -2506   T   -t   0.3666  2.2119  1.1592  356.4  216.5   62.2


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 117

                          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   1815 Jun 21  18:06:32     12  -2283   T   -t   0.4498  2.0575  1.0081  349.9  207.4   14.7
 42   07   1833 Jul 02  00:43:22      6  -2060   P   -t   0.5329  1.9036  0.8572  342.3  196.1    -  
 43   08   1851 Jul 13  07:21:41      7  -1837   P   -t   0.6154  1.7508  0.7069  333.6  182.3    -  
 44   09   1869 Jul 23  14:02:45      1  -1614   P   -t   0.6961  1.6017  0.5599  323.8  165.8    -  
 45   10   1887 Aug 03  20:48:53     -6  -1391   P   -t   0.7732  1.4595  0.4194  313.3  146.3    -  
 46   11   1905 Aug 15  03:40:59      5  -1168   P   -t   0.8456  1.3259  0.2871  302.3  123.1    -  
 47   12   1923 Aug 26  10:39:52     23   -945   P   -t   0.9133  1.2013  0.1634  290.8   94.2    -  
 48   13   1941 Sep 05  17:47:15     25   -722   P   -t   0.9746  1.0884  0.0511  279.3   53.4    -  
 49   14   1959 Sep 17  01:03:37     33   -499   N   -t   1.0296  0.9874 -0.0496  268.0    -      -  
 50   15   1977 Sep 27  08:30:08     48   -276   N   -t   1.0768  0.9007 -0.1361  257.5    -      -  

 51   16   1995 Oct 08  16:05:12     61    -53   N   -t   1.1179  0.8252 -0.2115  247.6    -      -  
 52   17   2013 Oct 18  23:51:25     68    170   N   -h   1.1508  0.7649 -0.2718  239.1    -      -  
 53   18   2031 Oct 30  07:46:45     79    393   N   -h   1.1773  0.7161 -0.3204  231.8    -      -  
 54   19   2049 Nov 09  15:52:11     93    616   N   -h   1.1964  0.6808 -0.3553  226.1    -      -  
 55   20   2067 Nov 21  00:04:42    130    839   N   -h   1.2106  0.6544 -0.3811  221.5    -      -  
 56   21   2085 Dec 01  08:25:35    170   1062   N   -a   1.2189  0.6387 -0.3957  218.5    -      -  
 57   22   2103 Dec 13  16:51:37    212   1285   N   -a   1.2239  0.6287 -0.4042  216.3    -      -  
 58   23   2121 Dec 24  01:22:13    256   1508   N   -a   1.2261  0.6238 -0.4071  214.8    -      -  
 59   24   2140 Jan 04  09:55:16    302   1731   N   -a   1.2270  0.6209 -0.4075  213.6    -      -  
 60   25   2158 Jan 14  18:29:52    345   1954   N   -a   1.2275  0.6184 -0.4068  212.5    -      -  

 61   26   2176 Jan 26  03:03:39    385   2177   N   -a   1.2292  0.6133 -0.4082  210.9    -      -  
 62   27   2194 Feb 05  11:34:56    427   2400   N   -a   1.2338  0.6027 -0.4146  208.5    -      -  
 63   28   2212 Feb 17  20:03:16    471   2623   N   -a   1.2415  0.5862 -0.4264  205.2    -      -  
 64   29   2230 Feb 28  04:27:10    517   2846   N   -a   1.2537  0.5612 -0.4463  200.5    -      -  
 65   30   2248 Mar 10  12:44:45    566   3069   N   -a   1.2717  0.5255 -0.4766  193.9    -      -  
 66   31   2266 Mar 21  20:56:19    616   3292   N   -a   1.2951  0.4799 -0.5167  185.4    -      -  
 67   32   2284 Apr 01  05:01:09    668   3515   N   -a   1.3247  0.4227 -0.5682  174.2    -      -  
 68   33   2302 Apr 13  12:59:53    723   3738   N   -a   1.3599  0.3552 -0.6300  160.1    -      -  
 69   34   2320 Apr 23  20:50:31    779   3961   N   -a   1.4021  0.2749 -0.7048  141.4    -      -  
 70   35   2338 May 05  04:35:58    838   4184   N   -a   1.4491  0.1860 -0.7884  116.8    -      -  

 71   36   2356 May 15  12:14:44    899   4407   N   -a   1.5017  0.0871 -0.8824   80.3    -      -  


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