Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 127

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 127 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 1275 Jul 09. The series will end with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 2555 Sep 02. The total duration of Saros series 127 is 1280.14 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  1275 Jul 09   14:25:50 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  2555 Sep 02   15:45:57 TD

                      Duration of Saros 127  =  1280.14 Years

Saros 127 is composed of 72 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 127
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 72100.0%
PenumbralN 18 25.0%
PartialP 38 52.8%
TotalT 16 22.2%

The 72 lunar eclipses in Saros 127 occur in the order of 11N 18P 16T 20P 7N which corresponds to:

                                    11  Penumbral
                                    18  Partial
                                    16  Total
                                    20  Partial
                                     7  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 127 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    1888 Jul 23      Duration = 01h41m46s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:    2068 Nov 09      Duration = 00h18m21s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1780 May 18      Duration = 03h15m48s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1473 Nov 04      Duration = 00h11m41s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1455 Oct 25      Duration = 04h45m08s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:    1275 Jul 09      Duration = 00h24m57s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 127 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    2086 Nov 20      Magnitude = 0.9865
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    1473 Nov 04      Magnitude = 0.0023

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 127 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 127

                          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   1275 Jul 09  14:25:50    538  -8961   Nb  t-  -1.5731  0.0064 -1.0631   25.0    -      -  
 02  -33   1293 Jul 19  20:55:18    499  -8738   N   t-  -1.4918  0.1560 -0.9143  121.2    -      -  
 03  -32   1311 Jul 31  03:29:38    464  -8515   N   t-  -1.4136  0.3000 -0.7713  165.8    -      -  
 04  -31   1329 Aug 10  10:10:57    430  -8292   N   t-  -1.3403  0.4352 -0.6374  197.1    -      -  
 05  -30   1347 Aug 21  16:59:59    399  -8069   N   t-  -1.2725  0.5603 -0.5137  220.8    -      -  
 06  -29   1365 Aug 31  23:57:40    369  -7846   N   t-  -1.2107  0.6745 -0.4012  239.4    -      -  
 07  -28   1383 Sep 12  07:04:45    342  -7623   N   t-  -1.1559  0.7760 -0.3013  253.9    -      -  
 08  -27   1401 Sep 22  14:22:16    315  -7400   N   t-  -1.1084  0.8639 -0.2150  265.2    -      -  
 09  -26   1419 Oct 03  21:50:05    291  -7177   N   t-  -1.0687  0.9374 -0.1428  273.8    -      -  
 10  -25   1437 Oct 14  05:26:54    267  -6954   N   t-  -1.0354  0.9990 -0.0824  280.4    -      -  

 11  -24   1455 Oct 25  13:13:24    245  -6731   Nx  t-  -1.0093  1.0475 -0.0348  285.1    -      -  
 12  -23   1473 Nov 04  21:08:23    224  -6508   P   t-  -0.9890  1.0849  0.0023  288.5   11.7    -  
 13  -22   1491 Nov 16  05:10:39    204  -6285   P   t-  -0.9741  1.1121  0.0298  290.6   41.7    -  
 14  -21   1509 Nov 26  13:18:02    186  -6062   P   h-  -0.9625  1.1329  0.0514  291.9   54.5    -  
 15  -20   1527 Dec 07  21:30:05    169  -5839   P   h-  -0.9540  1.1478  0.0678  292.6   62.3    -  
 16  -19   1545 Dec 18  05:45:01    153  -5616   P   h-  -0.9470  1.1596  0.0818  292.9   68.2    -  
 17  -18   1563 Dec 29  13:59:52    139  -5393   P   h-  -0.9392  1.1722  0.0975  293.1   74.1    -  
 18  -17   1582 Jan 08  22:14:15    128  -5170   P   a-  -0.9304  1.1866  0.1155  293.5   80.2    -  
 19  -16   1600 Jan 30  06:25:29    118  -4947   P   a-  -0.9183  1.2067  0.1399  294.2   87.7    -  
 20  -15   1618 Feb 09  14:33:24     97  -4724   P   a-  -0.9027  1.2327  0.1709  295.4   96.3    -  

 21  -14   1636 Feb 20  22:34:50     70  -4501   P   a-  -0.8810  1.2699  0.2135  297.3  106.7    -  
 22  -13   1654 Mar 03  06:31:30     43  -4278   P   a-  -0.8544  1.3156  0.2650  299.8  117.6    -  
 23  -12   1672 Mar 13  14:20:48     21  -4055   P   a-  -0.8210  1.3738  0.3293  303.0  129.5    -  
 24  -11   1690 Mar 24  22:03:03      9  -3832   P   a-  -0.7809  1.4443  0.4062  306.7  141.7    -  
 25  -10   1708 Apr 05  05:37:46      9  -3609   P   a-  -0.7337  1.5276  0.4959  310.9  154.0    -  
 26  -09   1726 Apr 16  13:06:31     10  -3386   P   a-  -0.6806  1.6220  0.5966  315.2  165.7    -  
 27  -08   1744 Apr 26  20:29:07     12  -3163   P   a-  -0.6212  1.7278  0.7086  319.6  176.8    -  
 28  -07   1762 May 08  03:45:37     15  -2940   P   a-  -0.5557  1.8449  0.8317  323.8  186.9    -  
 29  -06   1780 May 18  10:58:18     17  -2717   P   a-  -0.4862  1.9696  0.9620  327.5  195.8    -  
 30  -05   1798 May 29  18:07:26     14  -2494   T   a-  -0.4129  2.1015  1.0990  330.7  203.4   48.0

 31  -04   1816 Jun 10  01:14:25     12  -2271   T   a-  -0.3368  2.2387  1.2410  333.2  209.5   71.3
 32  -03   1834 Jun 21  08:19:45      6  -2048   T-  p-  -0.2583  2.3806  1.3871  335.0  214.2   85.6
 33  -02   1852 Jul 01  15:26:13      7  -1825   T-  p-  -0.1799  2.5227  1.5330  335.9  217.4   94.6
 34  -01   1870 Jul 12  22:34:23      0  -1602   T-  pp  -0.1023  2.6636  1.6769  336.0  219.1   99.7
 35   00   1888 Jul 23  05:44:47     -6  -1379   T-  pp  -0.0256  2.8030  1.8189  335.3  219.5  101.8
 36   01   1906 Aug 04  13:00:10      6  -1156   T+  pp   0.0477  2.7615  1.7793  333.9  218.7  101.2
 37   02   1924 Aug 14  20:20:30     24   -933   T+  pp   0.1175  2.6326  1.6519  332.0  216.9   98.2
 38   03   1942 Aug 26  03:48:25     26   -710   T+  pp   0.1818  2.5142  1.5344  329.5  214.2   93.4
 39   04   1960 Sep 05  11:21:51     33   -487   T+  -p   0.2422  2.4031  1.4239  326.7  210.8   86.7
 40   05   1978 Sep 16  19:05:01     49   -264   T   -p   0.2951  2.3060  1.3268  323.8  207.2   78.6


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 127

                          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   1996 Sep 27  02:55:24     62    -41   T   -p   0.3426  2.2188  1.2395  320.9  203.3   69.2
 42   07   2014 Oct 08  10:55:44     69    182   T   -p   0.3826  2.1456  1.1659  318.1  199.5   58.8
 43   08   2032 Oct 18  19:03:40     79    405   T   -p   0.4169  2.0830  1.1028  315.4  195.9   47.1
 44   09   2050 Oct 30  03:21:47     95    628   T   -p   0.4435  2.0345  1.0538  313.1  192.9   34.5
 45   10   2068 Nov 09  11:47:00    132    851   T   -p   0.4645  1.9962  1.0149  311.2  190.2   18.4
 46   11   2086 Nov 20  20:19:42    172   1074   P   -p   0.4799  1.9679  0.9865  309.5  188.1    -  
 47   12   2104 Dec 02  04:58:11    214   1297   P   -a   0.4910  1.9476  0.9661  308.2  186.5    -  
 48   13   2122 Dec 13  13:42:41    258   1520   P   -a   0.4979  1.9349  0.9536  307.1  185.4    -  
 49   14   2140 Dec 23  22:29:48    304   1743   P   -a   0.5028  1.9255  0.9450  306.2  184.6    -  
 50   15   2159 Jan 04  07:19:20    347   1966   P   -a   0.5061  1.9189  0.9394  305.4  183.9    -  

 51   16   2177 Jan 14  16:08:55    387   2189   P   -a   0.5099  1.9112  0.9333  304.6  183.3    -  
 52   17   2195 Jan 26  00:58:49    429   2412   P   -a   0.5139  1.9028  0.9269  303.7  182.7    -  
 53   18   2213 Feb 06  09:44:33    474   2635   P   -a   0.5218  1.8872  0.9137  302.6  181.6    -  
 54   19   2231 Feb 17  18:27:46    520   2858   P   -a   0.5321  1.8669  0.8961  301.3  180.3    -  
 55   20   2249 Feb 28  03:04:45    568   3081   P   -a   0.5480  1.8362  0.8685  299.5  178.2    -  
 56   21   2267 Mar 11  11:37:14    619   3304   P   -a   0.5679  1.7981  0.8336  297.4  175.5    -  
 57   22   2285 Mar 21  20:01:07    671   3527   P   -a   0.5954  1.7459  0.7847  294.6  171.7    -  
 58   23   2303 Apr 03  04:19:40    726   3750   P   -a   0.6276  1.6851  0.7273  291.2  166.8    -  
 59   24   2321 Apr 13  12:29:34    782   3973   P   -a   0.6671  1.6109  0.6562  287.1  160.3    -  
 60   25   2339 Apr 24  20:32:43    841   4196   P   -a   0.7125  1.5262  0.5746  282.1  151.9    -  

 61   26   2357 May 05  04:27:44    902   4419   P   -a   0.7646  1.4292  0.4802  275.9  140.9    -  
 62   27   2375 May 16  12:17:12    965   4642   P   -a   0.8213  1.3240  0.3774  268.7  126.9    -  
 63   28   2393 May 26  20:00:14   1030   4865   P   -a   0.8834  1.2091  0.2643  260.2  108.0    -  
 64   29   2411 Jun 07  03:37:47   1097   5088   P   -a   0.9498  1.0866  0.1431  250.0   80.8    -  
 65   30   2429 Jun 17  11:11:33   1166   5311   P   -a   1.0191  0.9591  0.0164  238.3   27.8    -  
 66   31   2447 Jun 28  18:42:11   1237   5534   N   -a   1.0906  0.8279 -0.1147  224.6    -      -  
 67   32   2465 Jul 09  02:10:48   1310   5757   N   -a   1.1635  0.6943 -0.2489  208.7    -      -  
 68   33   2483 Jul 20  09:38:03   1385   5980   N   -a   1.2373  0.5595 -0.3848  190.1    -      -  
 69   34   2501 Jul 31  17:06:36   1463   6203   N   -a   1.3097  0.4276 -0.5184  168.6    -      -  
 70   35   2519 Aug 12  00:36:43   1542   6426   N   -a   1.3801  0.2995 -0.6489  143.1    -      -  

 71   36   2537 Aug 22  08:09:08   1624   6649   N   -a   1.4483  0.1758 -0.7756  111.1    -      -  
 72   37   2555 Sep 02  15:45:57   1707   6872   Ne  -a   1.5126  0.0596 -0.8952   65.5    -      -  


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