Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 120

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 120 all occur at the Moon’s ascending node and the Moon moves southward with each eclipse. The series began with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 1000 Oct 16. The series will end with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on 2479 Apr 07. The total duration of Saros series 120 is 1478.47 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  1000 Oct 16   01:35:42 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  2479 Apr 07   00:42:37 TD

                      Duration of Saros 120  =  1478.47 Years

Saros 120 is composed of 83 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 120
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 83100.0%
PenumbralN 44 53.0%
PartialP 14 16.9%
TotalT 25 30.1%

The 83 lunar eclipses in Saros 120 occur in the order of 21N 7P 25T 7P 23N which corresponds to:

                                    21  Penumbral
                                     7  Partial
                                    25  Total
                                     7  Partial
                                    23  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 120 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1758 Jan 24      Duration = 01h44m55s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1505 Aug 14      Duration = 00h44m42s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1487 Aug 04      Duration = 03h25m49s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1379 May 31      Duration = 00h58m50s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1361 May 20      Duration = 04h32m02s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    2479 Apr 07      Duration = 00h41m05s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 120 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1956 May 24      Magnitude = 0.9647
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1379 May 31      Magnitude = 0.0597

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 120 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 120

                          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  -42   1000 Oct 16  01:35:42   1558 -12359   N   a-   1.5463  0.0276 -0.9862   47.1    -      -  
 02  -41   1018 Oct 27  09:53:57   1461 -12136   N   a-   1.5341  0.0527 -0.9666   65.2    -      -  
 03  -40   1036 Nov 06  18:16:32   1368 -11913   N   a-   1.5260  0.0701 -0.9544   75.4    -      -  
 04  -39   1054 Nov 18  02:44:30   1280 -11690   N   a-   1.5231  0.0778 -0.9513   79.7    -      -  
 05  -38   1072 Nov 28  11:14:15   1196 -11467   N   a-   1.5223  0.0815 -0.9518   81.8    -      -  
 06  -37   1090 Dec 09  19:45:28   1117 -11244   N   a-   1.5233  0.0813 -0.9555   82.0    -      -  
 07  -36   1108 Dec 20  04:16:00   1043 -11021   N   a-   1.5246  0.0804 -0.9593   81.9    -      -  
 08  -35   1126 Dec 31  12:45:19    973 -10798   N   h-   1.5261  0.0787 -0.9632   81.3    -      -  
 09  -34   1145 Jan 10  21:09:35    906 -10575   N   h-   1.5241  0.0833 -0.9604   83.9    -      -  
 10  -33   1163 Jan 22  05:29:14    844 -10352   N   h-   1.5192  0.0929 -0.9520   88.8    -      -  

 11  -32   1181 Feb 01  13:41:16    786 -10129   N   h-   1.5091  0.1119 -0.9337   97.6    -      -  
 12  -31   1199 Feb 12  21:46:45    732  -9906   N   h-   1.4944  0.1390 -0.9070  108.9    -      -  
 13  -30   1217 Feb 23  05:41:09    681  -9683   N   t-   1.4720  0.1803 -0.8659  123.9    -      -  
 14  -29   1235 Mar 06  13:27:40    633  -9460   N   t-   1.4439  0.2318 -0.8143  140.3    -      -  
 15  -28   1253 Mar 16  21:02:30    589  -9237   N   t-   1.4071  0.2992 -0.7467  158.9    -      -  
 16  -27   1271 Mar 28  04:28:45    547  -9014   N   t-   1.3642  0.3779 -0.6679  177.8    -      -  
 17  -26   1289 Apr 07  11:43:12    508  -8791   N   t-   1.3125  0.4727 -0.5732  197.6    -      -  
 18  -25   1307 Apr 18  18:50:03    472  -8568   N   t-   1.2553  0.5777 -0.4683  216.9    -      -  
 19  -24   1325 Apr 29  01:47:03    438  -8345   N   t-   1.1908  0.6965 -0.3501  236.1    -      -  
 20  -23   1343 May 10  08:36:45    406  -8122   N   t-   1.1208  0.8253 -0.2221  254.5    -      -  

 21  -22   1361 May 20  15:19:11    376  -7899   N   t-   1.0453  0.9645 -0.0841  272.0    -      -  
 22  -21   1379 May 31  21:57:14    348  -7676   P   t-   0.9665  1.1098  0.0597  288.2   58.8    -  
 23  -20   1397 Jun 11  04:31:36    321  -7453   P   t-   0.8850  1.2603  0.2082  303.0  107.8    -  
 24  -19   1415 Jun 22  11:03:06    296  -7230   P   t-   0.8015  1.4148  0.3602  316.4  139.0    -  
 25  -18   1433 Jul 02  17:34:56    273  -7007   P   t-   0.7183  1.5689  0.5115  328.2  162.2    -  
 26  -17   1451 Jul 14  00:07:29    250  -6784   P   t-   0.6357  1.7221  0.6615  338.5  180.3    -  
 27  -16   1469 Jul 24  06:42:46    229  -6561   P   t-   0.5556  1.8708  0.8066  347.3  194.6    -  
 28  -15   1487 Aug 04  13:21:13    209  -6338   P   t-   0.4783  2.0146  0.9466  354.6  205.8    -  
 29  -14   1505 Aug 14  20:05:59    190  -6115   T   t-   0.4063  2.1487  1.0766  360.6  214.4   44.7
 30  -13   1523 Aug 26  02:57:01    173  -5892   T   t-   0.3395  2.2735  1.1971  365.5  221.0   68.9

 31  -12   1541 Sep 05  09:54:46    157  -5669   T   pp   0.2784  2.3879  1.3072  369.3  225.8   82.7
 32  -11   1559 Sep 16  17:01:00    142  -5446   T+  pp   0.2244  2.4891  1.4041  372.2  229.3   91.3
 33  -10   1577 Sep 27  00:16:07    130  -5223   T+  pp   0.1781  2.5760  1.4869  374.4  231.6   96.7
 34  -09   1595 Oct 18  07:40:06    121  -5000   T+  pp   0.1391  2.6497  1.5567  376.0  233.1  100.2
 35  -08   1613 Oct 28  15:11:40    102  -4777   T+  pp   0.1064  2.7115  1.6149  377.2  234.1  102.3
 36  -07   1631 Nov 08  22:51:38     76  -4554   T+  pp   0.0805  2.7605  1.6608  378.1  234.7  103.5
 37  -06   1649 Nov 19  06:38:54     49  -4331   T+  pp   0.0608  2.7980  1.6957  378.6  234.9  104.1
 38  -05   1667 Nov 30  14:31:26     26  -4108   T+  pp   0.0455  2.8269  1.7228  379.0  235.1  104.5
 39  -04   1685 Dec 10  22:29:22     11  -3885   T+  pp   0.0346  2.8476  1.7422  379.1  235.1  104.7
 40  -03   1703 Dec 23  06:29:54      9  -3662   T+  pp   0.0258  2.8640  1.7582  379.1  235.1  104.7


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 120

                          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  -02   1722 Jan 02  14:32:53     10  -3439   T+  pp   0.0187  2.8768  1.7714  378.9  235.0  104.8
 42  -01   1740 Jan 13  22:33:33     12  -3216   T+  pp   0.0096  2.8928  1.7887  378.5  235.0  104.9
 43   00   1758 Jan 24  06:34:14     14  -2993   T+  pp   0.0003  2.9089  1.8067  378.0  234.9  104.9
 44   01   1776 Feb 04  14:29:50     16  -2770   T-  pp  -0.0128  2.8846  1.7851  377.4  234.7  104.9
 45   02   1794 Feb 14  22:21:16     15  -2547   T-  pp  -0.0300  2.8514  1.7553  376.5  234.5  104.8
 46   03   1812 Feb 27  06:04:51     12  -2324   T-  pp  -0.0538  2.8057  1.7135  375.5  234.1  104.3
 47   04   1830 Mar 09  13:42:57      7  -2101   T-  pp  -0.0824  2.7510  1.6632  374.2  233.4  103.3
 48   05   1848 Mar 19  21:12:12      7  -1878   T-  pp  -0.1186  2.6823  1.5993  372.5  232.4  101.4
 49   06   1866 Mar 31  04:33:35      5  -1655   T-  pp  -0.1614  2.6011  1.5232  370.4  230.7   98.2
 50   07   1884 Apr 10  11:46:34     -6  -1432   T-  pp  -0.2116  2.5064  1.4337  367.7  228.2   92.9

 51   08   1902 Apr 22  18:52:40      0  -1209   T-  pp  -0.2680  2.4002  1.3327  364.3  224.6   84.6
 52   09   1920 May 03  01:51:08     21   -986   T   -p  -0.3312  2.2818  1.2194  360.1  219.7   71.5
 53   10   1938 May 14  08:44:00     24   -763   T   -t  -0.3994  2.1540  1.0966  354.9  213.1   49.4
 54   11   1956 May 24  15:31:52     32   -540   P   -t  -0.4726  2.0174  0.9647  348.5  204.5    -  
 55   12   1974 Jun 04  22:16:44     45   -317   P   -t  -0.5488  1.8752  0.8269  341.0  193.6    -  
 56   13   1992 Jun 15  04:57:57     59    -94   P   -t  -0.6288  1.7264  0.6822  332.2  179.8    -  
 57   14   2010 Jun 26  11:39:34     67    129   P   -t  -0.7091  1.5773  0.5368  322.1  162.9    -  
 58   15   2028 Jul 06  18:20:57     77    352   P   -t  -0.7903  1.4266  0.3892  310.6  141.5    -  
 59   16   2046 Jul 18  01:06:05     90    575   P   -t  -0.8691  1.2807  0.2461  298.1  114.6    -  
 60   17   2064 Jul 28  07:52:48    123    798   P   -t  -0.9473  1.1361  0.1038  284.3   75.7    -  

 61   18   2082 Aug 08  14:46:42    163   1021   Nx  -t  -1.0203  1.0011 -0.0294  269.8    -      -  
 62   19   2100 Aug 19  21:44:58    204   1244   N   -t  -1.0905  0.8716 -0.1575  254.2    -      -  
 63   20   2118 Aug 31  04:51:45    247   1467   N   -t  -1.1543  0.7540 -0.2740  238.5    -      -  
 64   21   2136 Sep 10  12:05:06    293   1690   N   -t  -1.2134  0.6452 -0.3821  222.2    -      -  
 65   22   2154 Sep 21  19:29:06    338   1913   N   -t  -1.2646  0.5510 -0.4759  206.5    -      -  
 66   23   2172 Oct 02  03:01:41    378   2136   N   -h  -1.3098  0.4681 -0.5586  191.3    -      -  
 67   24   2190 Oct 13  10:43:55    419   2359   N   -h  -1.3479  0.3979 -0.6285  176.9    -      -  
 68   25   2208 Oct 24  18:36:02    463   2582   N   -h  -1.3789  0.3410 -0.6853  164.2    -      -  
 69   26   2226 Nov 05  02:38:01    509   2805   N   -h  -1.4024  0.2977 -0.7283  153.5    -      -  
 70   27   2244 Nov 15  10:48:54    557   3028   N   -a  -1.4201  0.2651 -0.7605  144.8    -      -  

 71   28   2262 Nov 26  19:06:54    606   3251   N   -a  -1.4327  0.2415 -0.7833  138.1    -      -  
 72   29   2280 Dec 07  03:32:38    659   3474   N   -a  -1.4402  0.2273 -0.7964  133.7    -      -  
 73   30   2298 Dec 18  12:03:40    713   3697   N   -a  -1.4439  0.2196 -0.8025  131.1    -      -  
 74   31   2316 Dec 29  20:38:45    769   3920   N   -a  -1.4452  0.2162 -0.8039  129.7    -      -  
 75   32   2335 Jan 10  05:16:00    827   4143   N   -a  -1.4453  0.2147 -0.8029  128.9    -      -  
 76   33   2353 Jan 20  13:54:28    887   4366   N   -a  -1.4453  0.2132 -0.8012  128.0    -      -  
 77   34   2371 Jan 31  22:31:48    950   4589   N   -a  -1.4466  0.2089 -0.8019  126.3    -      -  
 78   35   2389 Feb 11  07:06:06   1014   4812   N   -a  -1.4510  0.1989 -0.8078  122.9    -      -  
 79   36   2407 Feb 22  15:37:08   1081   5035   N   -a  -1.4584  0.1829 -0.8192  117.6    -      -  
 80   37   2425 Mar 05  00:03:15   1149   5258   N   -a  -1.4701  0.1590 -0.8383  109.5    -      -  


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 120

                          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   38   2443 Mar 16  08:22:54   1220   5481   N   -a  -1.4877  0.1241 -0.8680   96.7    -      -  
 82   39   2461 Mar 26  16:36:11   1292   5704   N   -a  -1.5110  0.0788 -0.9080   77.1    -      -  
 83   40   2479 Apr 07  00:42:37   1367   5927   Ne  -a  -1.5402  0.0223 -0.9591   41.1    -      -  


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