Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 59

Introduction

The periodicity and recurrence of 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 13 centuries and contains 70 or more eclipses. Every saros series begins with a number of partial eclipses near one of Earth's polar regions. The series will then produce several dozen central[2] eclipses before ending with a group of partial eclipses near the opposite pole. For more information, see Periodicity of Solar Eclipses.


Statistics for Solar Eclipses of Saros 59

Solar eclipses of Saros 59 all occur at the Moon’s ascending node and the Moon moves southward with each eclipse. The series began with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on -1031 Jun 19. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 0249 Jul 27. The total duration of Saros series 59 is 1280.14 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  -1031 Jun 19   16:52:11 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   0249 Jul 27   08:24:29 TD

                      Duration of Saros  59  =  1280.14 Years

Saros 59 is composed of 72 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 59
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 72100.0%
PartialP 17 23.6%
AnnularA 23 31.9%
TotalT 16 22.2%
Hybrid[3]H 16 22.2%

Umbral eclipses (annular, total and hybrid) can be further classified as either: 1) Central (two limits), 2) Central (one limit) or 3) Non-Central (one limit). The statistical distribution of these classes in Saros series 59 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 59
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 55100.0%
Central (two limits) 53 96.4%
Central (one limit) 1 1.8%
Non-Central (one limit) 1 1.8%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 72 eclipses in Saros 59: 9P 23A 16H 16T 8P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 59 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 59
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse -0743 Dec 0909m04s -
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse -0472 May 2000m17s -
Longest Total Solar Eclipse 0087 Apr 2104m34s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse -0166 Nov 2001m15s -
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse -0346 Aug 0401m22s -
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse -0454 May 3100m06s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse 0123 May 13 - 0.97724
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 0249 Jul 27 - 0.03406

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 59

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 59. A description or explanation of each parameter listed in the catalog can be found in Key to Catalog of Solar Eclipse Saros Series.

Several fields in the catalog link to web pages or files containing additional information for each eclipse (for the years -1999 through +3000). The following gives a brief explanation of each link.


For an animation showing how the eclipse path changes with each member of the series, see Animation of Saros 59.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 59

                         TD of
 Seq. Rel.   Calendar   Greatest          Luna  Ecl.           Ecl.                Sun Path  Central
 Num. Num.     Date      Eclipse     ΔT   Num.  Type  Gamma    Mag.    Lat   Long  Alt Width   Dur.
                                      s                                 °      °     °    km

02328 -34 -1031 Jun 19  16:52:11  25866 -37483   Pb   1.5201  0.0725  64.4N 120.2W   0             
02371 -33 -1013 Jun 30  23:18:09  25540 -37260   P    1.4411  0.2084  65.3N 132.0E   0             
02413 -32 -0995 Jul 11  05:47:29  25216 -37037   P    1.3644  0.3397  66.3N  23.1E   0             
02453 -31 -0977 Jul 22  12:24:38  24893 -36814   P    1.2935  0.4606  67.4N  88.3W   0             
02494 -30 -0959 Aug 01  19:07:23  24573 -36591   P    1.2266  0.5739  68.4N 158.5E   0             
02535 -29 -0941 Aug 13  02:00:51  24255 -36368   P    1.1678  0.6727  69.4N  41.9E   0             
02575 -28 -0923 Aug 23  09:02:15  23939 -36145   P    1.1154  0.7604  70.2N  77.2W   0             
02615 -27 -0905 Sep 03  16:13:39  23625 -35922   P    1.0707  0.8345  71.0N 160.6E   0             
02655 -26 -0887 Sep 13  23:34:23  23313 -35699   P    1.0333  0.8962  71.5N  35.4E   0             
02696 -25 -0869 Sep 25  07:05:47  23003 -35476   A+   1.0040  0.9441  71.8N  92.9W   0             

02737 -24 -0851 Oct 05  14:45:26  22695 -35253   An   0.9814  0.9125  68.7N 107.9E  10   -   06m55s
02776 -23 -0833 Oct 16  22:32:57  22389 -35030   A    0.9646  0.9123  63.2N  27.7W  15 1300  07m34s
02817 -22 -0815 Oct 27  06:27:12  22085 -34807   A    0.9531  0.9122  58.6N 157.6W  17 1123  08m07s
02858 -21 -0797 Nov 07  14:27:26  21784 -34584   A    0.9458  0.9124  54.8N  73.7E  18 1041  08m34s
02899 -20 -0779 Nov 17  22:30:21  21484 -34361   A    0.9403  0.9132  51.6N  54.6W  19  984  08m53s
02940 -19 -0761 Nov 29  06:36:00  21187 -34138   A    0.9364  0.9145  49.0N 177.1E  20  940  09m04s
02982 -18 -0743 Dec 09  14:40:59  20891 -33915   A    0.9312  0.9166  46.6N  49.2E  21  881  09m04s
03025 -17 -0725 Dec 20  22:45:21  20598 -33692   A    0.9249  0.9194  44.5N  78.1W  22  812  08m54s
03070 -16 -0707 Dec 31  06:44:38  20307 -33469   A    0.9136  0.9230  42.2N 156.4E  24  718  08m34s
03114 -15 -0688 Jan 11  14:40:44  20017 -33246   A    0.8989  0.9273  40.0N  32.1E  26  621  08m04s

03159 -14 -0670 Jan 21  22:29:38  19730 -33023   A    0.8774  0.9323  37.8N  89.5W  28  521  07m27s
03204 -13 -0652 Feb 02  06:12:01  19445 -32800   A    0.8498  0.9378  35.9N 151.2E  32  429  06m42s
03249 -12 -0634 Feb 12  13:45:47  19162 -32577   A    0.8144  0.9438  34.2N  34.9E  35  348  05m55s
03295 -11 -0616 Feb 23  21:12:39  18881 -32354   A    0.7725  0.9501  33.0N  79.0W  39  280  05m06s
03342 -10 -0598 Mar 06  04:31:34  18602 -32131   A    0.7228  0.9565  32.2N 169.8E  44  223  04m19s
03389 -09 -0580 Mar 16  11:42:18  18326 -31908   A    0.6657  0.9631  31.9N  61.3E  48  174  03m34s
03436 -08 -0562 Mar 27  18:46:43  18051 -31685   A    0.6023  0.9695  31.8N  45.0W  53  134  02m53s
03482 -07 -0544 Apr 07  01:45:15  17778 -31462   A    0.5332  0.9758  32.0N 149.2W  58  100  02m15s
03527 -06 -0526 Apr 18  08:39:23  17508 -31239   A    0.4593  0.9818  32.2N 108.1E  62   72  01m41s
03572 -05 -0508 Apr 28  15:29:32  17239 -31016   A    0.3809  0.9874  32.1N   6.9E  67   48  01m11s

03617 -04 -0490 May 09  22:18:35  16941 -30793   A    0.3004  0.9924  31.6N  94.0W  72   28  00m43s
03662 -03 -0472 May 20  05:06:50  16626 -30570   A    0.2182  0.9970  30.5N 165.4E  77   11  00m17s
03706 -02 -0454 May 31  11:55:38  16320 -30347   H    0.1354  1.0010  28.6N  64.5E  82    3  00m06s
03749 -01 -0436 Jun 10  18:47:03  16023 -30124   H    0.0536  1.0043  25.8N  37.5W  87   15  00m27s
03792  00 -0418 Jun 22  01:42:32  15733 -29901   H   -0.0257  1.0071  22.3N 141.1W  89   25  00m46s
03834  01 -0400 Jul 02  08:43:41  15451 -29678   H   -0.1015  1.0092  18.0N 113.3E  84   32  01m01s
03876  02 -0382 Jul 13  15:50:17  15177 -29455   Hm  -0.1735  1.0107  13.0N   5.6E  80   38  01m12s
03917  03 -0364 Jul 23  23:05:36  14908 -29232   H   -0.2391  1.0118   7.6N 105.0W  76   42  01m19s
03956  04 -0346 Aug 04  06:28:34  14646 -29009   H   -0.2990  1.0123   1.9N 142.0E  73   44  01m22s
03996  05 -0328 Aug 14  14:00:58  14390 -28786   H   -0.3519  1.0126   4.1S  26.2E  69   46  01m21s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 59

                         TD of
 Seq. Rel.   Calendar   Greatest          Luna  Ecl.           Ecl.                Sun Path  Central
 Num. Num.     Date      Eclipse     ΔT   Num.  Type  Gamma    Mag.    Lat   Long  Alt Width   Dur.
                                      s                                 °      °     °    km

04037  06 -0310 Aug 25  21:42:10  14140 -28563   H   -0.3981  1.0124  10.2S  92.1W  66   47  01m18s
04079  07 -0292 Sep 05  05:33:58  13895 -28340   H   -0.4363  1.0123  16.2S 146.8E  64   47  01m14s
04119  08 -0274 Sep 16  13:35:23  13656 -28117   H   -0.4671  1.0120  22.2S  23.3E  62   46  01m09s
04159  09 -0256 Sep 26  21:45:25  13421 -27894   H   -0.4915  1.0119  27.9S 102.0W  60   47  01m06s
04200  10 -0238 Oct 08  06:05:19  13192 -27671   H   -0.5085  1.0118  33.4S 130.6E  59   47  01m03s
04241  11 -0220 Oct 18  14:32:51  12967 -27448   H   -0.5201  1.0122  38.6S   2.0E  58   49  01m03s
04282  12 -0202 Oct 29  23:07:46  12746 -27225   H   -0.5261  1.0129  43.3S 127.5W  58   52  01m05s
04323  13 -0184 Nov 09  07:46:40  12530 -27002   H   -0.5296  1.0140  47.6S 103.1E  58   57  01m08s
04366  14 -0166 Nov 20  16:31:00  12318 -26779   T   -0.5293  1.0157  51.1S  26.1W  58   64  01m15s
04409  15 -0148 Dec 01  01:16:43  12110 -26556   T   -0.5288  1.0179  53.7S 154.3W  58   72  01m23s

04452  16 -0130 Dec 12  10:03:40  11905 -26333   T   -0.5279  1.0206  55.3S  78.4E  58   83  01m35s
04495  17 -0112 Dec 22  18:48:32  11704 -26110   T   -0.5295  1.0238  55.7S  47.7W  58   96  01m47s
04538  18 -0093 Jan 03  03:31:36  11507 -25887   T   -0.5331  1.0275  55.0S 173.5W  58  110  02m02s
04583  19 -0075 Jan 13  12:09:37  11312 -25664   T   -0.5414  1.0315  53.4S  61.3E  57  127  02m19s
04628  20 -0057 Jan 24  20:42:31  11121 -25441   T   -0.5546  1.0359  51.1S  63.7W  56  145  02m36s
04673  21 -0039 Feb 04  05:08:41  10932 -25218   T   -0.5739  1.0404  48.5S 172.1E  55  164  02m54s
04719  22 -0021 Feb 15  13:28:32  10746 -24995   T   -0.5991  1.0450  45.8S  48.5E  53  186  03m13s
04765  23 -0003 Feb 25  21:39:39  10563 -24772   T   -0.6319  1.0495  43.4S  73.5W  51  209  03m31s
04810  24  0015 Mar 09  05:44:12  10382 -24549   T   -0.6707  1.0537  41.3S 165.7E  48  236  03m49s
04856  25  0033 Mar 19  13:40:16  10202 -24326   T   -0.7168  1.0576  40.1S  46.9E  44  267  04m06s

04901  26  0051 Mar 30  21:31:07  10025 -24103   T   -0.7681  1.0609  39.8S  70.7W  40  305  04m21s
04945  27  0069 Apr 10  05:13:17   9849 -23880   T   -0.8268  1.0633  41.0S 174.1E  34  361  04m31s
04989  28  0087 Apr 21  12:52:07   9675 -23657   T   -0.8888  1.0647  44.1S  60.2E  27  453  04m34s
05034  29  0105 May 01  20:24:44   9501 -23434   T   -0.9559  1.0643  50.7S  49.6W  17  716  04m21s
05078  30  0123 May 13  03:55:44   9329 -23211   P   -1.0248  0.9772  62.4S 149.9W   0             
05122  31  0141 May 23  11:22:17   9157 -22988   P   -1.0973  0.8366  63.2S  88.5E   0             
05165  32  0159 Jun 03  18:49:41   8986 -22765   P   -1.1694  0.6964  64.0S  33.6W   0             
05206  33  0177 Jun 14  02:15:28   8815 -22542   P   -1.2424  0.5543  64.9S 155.6W   0             
05247  34  0195 Jun 25  09:43:24   8644 -22319   P   -1.3136  0.4157  65.9S  81.5E   0             
05288  35  0213 Jul 05  17:12:35   8473 -22096   P   -1.3835  0.2801  66.9S  42.0W   0             

05329  36  0231 Jul 17  00:46:30   8301 -21873   P   -1.4492  0.1531  67.9S 167.3W   0             
05370  37  0249 Jul 27  08:24:29   8130 -21650   Pe  -1.5113  0.0341  68.8S  66.0E   0             


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.


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]Central solar eclipses are eclipses in which the central axis of the Moon's shadow strikes the Earth's surface. All partial (penumbral) eclipses are non-central eclipses since the shadow axis misses Earth. However, umbral eclipses (total, annular and hybrid) may be either central (usually) or non-central (rarely).

[3]Hybrid eclipses are also known as annular/total eclipses. Such an eclipse is both total and annular along different sections of its umbral path. For more information, see Five Millennium Catalog of Hybrid Solar Eclipses .

[4]Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is nearly equal to the instants of greatest magnitude and greatest duration. However, for annular eclipses, the instant of greatest duration may occur at either the time of greatest eclipse or near the sunrise and sunset points of the eclipse path.


Acknowledgments

The information presented on this web page is based on data published in Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 and Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000. The individual global maps appearing in links (both GIF an animation) were extracted from full page plates appearing in Five Millennium Canon by Dan McGlaun. The Besselian elements were provided by Jean Meeus. Fred Espenak assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of all eclipse calculations.

Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak (NASA's GSFC)"


Return to:

Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Periodicity of Solar Eclipses

Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses

2009 Sep 26