Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 72

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 72

Solar eclipses of Saros 72 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series began with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on -0727 Aug 16. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 0752 Jan 21. The total duration of Saros series 72 is 1478.47 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  -0727 Aug 16   03:50:07 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   0752 Jan 21   11:25:25 TD

                      Duration of Saros  72  =  1478.47 Years

Saros 72 is composed of 83 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 83100.0%
PartialP 40 48.2%
AnnularA 0 0.0%
TotalT 43 51.8%
Hybrid[3]H 0 0.0%

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 72 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 72
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 43100.0%
Central (two limits) 43100.0%
Central (one limit) 0 0.0%
Non-Central (one limit) 0 0.0%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 83 eclipses in Saros 72: 22P 43T 18P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 72 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Total Solar Eclipse -0204 Jun 2506m36s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse 0427 Jul 1000m55s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse -0348 Mar 31 - 0.98873
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 0752 Jan 21 - 0.02000

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 72. 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 72.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

                         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

03020 -37 -0727 Aug 16  03:50:07  20636 -33721   Pb  -1.5437  0.0212  62.1S 153.6E   0             
03065 -36 -0709 Aug 27  11:16:26  20344 -33498   P   -1.4930  0.1101  61.5S  31.9E   0             
03109 -35 -0691 Sep 06  18:54:32  20055 -33275   P   -1.4507  0.1844  61.0S  92.7W   0             
03154 -34 -0673 Sep 18  02:41:26  19767 -33052   P   -1.4144  0.2480  60.8S 140.7E   0             
03199 -33 -0655 Sep 28  10:40:10  19482 -32829   P   -1.3865  0.2968  60.6S  11.2E   0             
03244 -32 -0637 Oct 09  18:46:43  19199 -32606   P   -1.3641  0.3361  60.7S 120.3W   0             
03290 -31 -0619 Oct 20  03:02:09  18918 -32383   P   -1.3482  0.3637  60.9S 106.0E   0             
03337 -30 -0601 Oct 31  11:23:47  18639 -32160   P   -1.3365  0.3840  61.3S  29.3W   0             
03384 -29 -0583 Nov 10  19:51:52  18362 -31937   P   -1.3298  0.3957  61.9S 166.4W   0             
03431 -28 -0565 Nov 22  04:22:19  18087 -31714   P   -1.3240  0.4055  62.6S  55.8E   0             

03477 -27 -0547 Dec 02  12:54:50  17814 -31491   P   -1.3193  0.4135  63.4S  82.7W   0             
03522 -26 -0529 Dec 13  21:27:10  17543 -31268   P   -1.3138  0.4228  64.4S 138.4E   0             
03567 -25 -0511 Dec 24  05:58:52  17274 -31045   P   -1.3076  0.4335  65.4S   0.6W   0             
03612 -24 -0492 Jan 04  14:25:59  16982 -30822   P   -1.2968  0.4524  66.5S 139.0W   0             
03656 -23 -0474 Jan 14  22:49:31  16666 -30599   P   -1.2825  0.4778  67.5S  82.9E   0             
03700 -22 -0456 Jan 26  07:06:25  16360 -30376   P   -1.2621  0.5146  68.6S  54.1W   0             
03743 -21 -0438 Feb 05  15:18:18  16061 -30153   P   -1.2368  0.5607  69.6S 169.6E   0             
03787 -20 -0420 Feb 16  23:21:21  15771 -29930   P   -1.2039  0.6214  70.4S  35.0E   0             
03829 -19 -0402 Feb 27  07:18:58  15488 -29707   P   -1.1656  0.6926  71.1S  98.9W   0             
03871 -18 -0384 Mar 09  15:07:57  15212 -29484   P   -1.1195  0.7792  71.6S 129.0E   0             

03912 -17 -0366 Mar 20  22:51:24  14943 -29261   P   -1.0682  0.8767  71.8S   2.0W   0             
03951 -16 -0348 Mar 31  06:27:06  14680 -29038   P   -1.0096  0.9887  71.8S 131.1W   0             
03991 -15 -0330 Apr 11  13:58:37  14423 -28815   T   -0.9468  1.0360  60.1S  65.0E  18  381  02m28s
04032 -14 -0312 Apr 21  21:24:48  14172 -28592   T   -0.8788  1.0438  48.6S  61.6W  28  306  03m20s
04073 -13 -0294 May 03  04:47:27  13927 -28369   T   -0.8072  1.0505  38.4S 178.9E  36  282  04m11s
04113 -12 -0276 May 13  12:07:52  13687 -28146   T   -0.7328  1.0559  29.2S  62.4E  43  270  04m57s
04153 -11 -0258 May 24  19:27:21  13452 -27923   T   -0.6568  1.0605  20.9S  52.5W  49  263  05m37s
04194 -10 -0240 Jun 04  02:47:32  13221 -27700   T   -0.5807  1.0641  13.6S 166.5W  54  258  06m08s
04235 -09 -0222 Jun 15  10:08:27  12996 -27477   T   -0.5047  1.0668   7.1S  80.3E  60  253  06m28s
04276 -08 -0204 Jun 25  17:33:02  12775 -27254   T   -0.4309  1.0686   1.7S  33.1W  64  247  06m36s

04317 -07 -0186 Jul 07  01:01:07  12558 -27031   T   -0.3594  1.0695   2.6N 146.7W  69  242  06m35s
04360 -06 -0168 Jul 17  08:34:21  12345 -26808   T   -0.2917  1.0695   5.7N  99.1E  73  236  06m25s
04404 -05 -0150 Jul 28  16:13:20  12136 -26585   T   -0.2286  1.0689   7.7N  16.2W  77  230  06m11s
04447 -04 -0132 Aug 07  23:59:55  11931 -26362   T   -0.1714  1.0676   8.4N 133.2W  80  224  05m53s
04490 -03 -0114 Aug 19  07:54:00  11730 -26139   T   -0.1203  1.0658   8.0N 108.0E  83  216  05m36s
04533 -02 -0096 Aug 29  15:55:39  11532 -25916   T   -0.0752  1.0636   6.7N  12.8W  86  209  05m18s
04576 -01 -0078 Sep 10  00:05:45  11337 -25693   T   -0.0372  1.0611   4.6N 135.8W  88  201  05m02s
04621  00 -0060 Sep 20  08:24:07  11146 -25470   T   -0.0062  1.0584   1.8N  98.9E  90  192  04m48s
04666  01 -0042 Oct 01  16:50:13  10957 -25247   T    0.0186  1.0558   1.4S  28.5W  89  184  04m35s
04712  02 -0024 Oct 12  01:23:20  10770 -25024   T    0.0373  1.0532   4.8S 157.7W  88  176  04m25s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

                         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

04758  03 -0006 Oct 23  10:03:04  10587 -24801   T    0.0506  1.0509   8.3S  71.4E  87  169  04m17s
04803  04  0012 Nov 02  18:48:38  10405 -24578   Tm   0.0590  1.0488  11.6S  60.7W  87  162  04m11s
04849  05  0030 Nov 14  03:37:26  10226 -24355   T    0.0644  1.0473  14.6S 166.6E  86  158  04m08s
04896  06  0048 Nov 24  12:30:09  10048 -24132   T    0.0667  1.0461  17.1S  33.2E  86  154  04m07s
04940  07  0066 Dec 05  21:23:09   9872 -23909   T    0.0684  1.0454  18.8S 100.0W  86  152  04m07s
04984  08  0084 Dec 16  06:16:36   9697 -23686   T    0.0699  1.0451  19.7S 126.9E  86  151  04m10s
05029  09  0102 Dec 27  15:06:16   9524 -23463   T    0.0743  1.0454  19.4S   5.3W  86  152  04m15s
05073  10  0121 Jan 06  23:54:07   9351 -23240   T    0.0802  1.0460  18.2S 137.0W  86  154  04m20s
05117  11  0139 Jan 18  08:35:48   9179 -23017   T    0.0906  1.0469  15.8S  92.4E  85  157  04m27s
05160  12  0157 Jan 28  17:11:51   9008 -22794   T    0.1059  1.0482  12.4S  37.2W  84  161  04m34s

05201  13  0175 Feb 09  01:39:26   8837 -22571   T    0.1278  1.0495   8.0S 165.3W  83  165  04m41s
05242  14  0193 Feb 19  10:00:11   8666 -22348   T    0.1552  1.0509   2.8S  67.9E  81  171  04m47s
05283  15  0211 Mar 02  18:11:38   8495 -22125   T    0.1899  1.0521   3.1N  57.1W  79  176  04m51s
05324  16  0229 Mar 13  02:14:35   8324 -21902   T    0.2312  1.0532   9.6N 179.6E  77  180  04m52s
05365  17  0247 Mar 24  10:08:36   8152 -21679   T    0.2796  1.0538  16.6N  58.4E  74  185  04m50s
05407  18  0265 Apr 03  17:54:54   7980 -21456   T    0.3341  1.0540  24.1N  61.0W  70  189  04m44s
05447  19  0283 Apr 15  01:32:54   7807 -21233   T    0.3951  1.0537  31.8N 178.3W  67  193  04m32s
05487  20  0301 Apr 25  09:04:15   7633 -21010   T    0.4610  1.0526  39.8N  66.3E  62  196  04m16s
05526  21  0319 May 06  16:29:08   7458 -20787   T    0.5318  1.0508  48.0N  46.8W  58  199  03m56s
05566  22  0337 May 16  23:50:04   7283 -20564   T    0.6053  1.0481  56.2N 157.8W  52  201  03m31s

05606  23  0355 May 28  07:05:38   7107 -20341   T    0.6827  1.0446  64.6N  94.5E  47  204  03m04s
05646  24  0373 Jun 07  14:20:16   6930 -20118   T    0.7601  1.0401  72.7N   8.0W  40  208  02m36s
05687  25  0391 Jun 18  21:32:22   6752 -19895   T    0.8390  1.0346  80.3N  94.3W  33  216  02m06s
05728  26  0409 Jun 29  04:46:23   6574 -19672   T    0.9153  1.0279  82.0N 135.1W  23  239  01m35s
05769  27  0427 Jul 10  11:59:29   6396 -19449   T    0.9913  1.0180  69.4N 167.3E   6  576  00m55s
05810  28  0445 Jul 20  19:17:00   6217 -19226   P    1.0629  0.8841  63.3N  56.1E   0             
05851  29  0463 Aug 01  02:36:42   6039 -19003   P    1.1318  0.7553  62.5N  63.8W   0             
05894  30  0481 Aug 11  10:02:04   5862 -18780   P    1.1949  0.6383  61.9N 175.0E   0             
05938  31  0499 Aug 22  17:31:58   5686 -18557   P    1.2532  0.5314  61.4N  52.9E   0             
05982  32  0517 Sep 02  01:09:31   5509 -18334   P    1.3044  0.4388  61.1N  71.0W   0             

06026  33  0535 Sep 13  08:53:31   5333 -18111   P    1.3493  0.3585  60.9N 163.6E   0             
06072  34  0553 Sep 23  16:44:18   5158 -17888   P    1.3880  0.2903  60.8N  36.5E   0             
06118  35  0571 Oct 05  00:42:13   4985 -17665   P    1.4200  0.2348  60.9N  92.3W   0             
06164  36  0589 Oct 15  08:47:11   4812 -17442   P    1.4453  0.1917  61.2N 137.0E   0             
06209  37  0607 Oct 26  16:58:21   4642 -17219   P    1.4652  0.1585  61.7N   4.7E   0             
06254  38  0625 Nov 06  01:14:00   4472 -16996   P    1.4805  0.1333  62.3N 128.8W   0             
06299  39  0643 Nov 17  09:34:13   4304 -16773   P    1.4917  0.1155  63.0N  96.3E   0             
06345  40  0661 Nov 27  17:56:51   4138 -16550   P    1.5001  0.1023  63.9N  39.4W   0             
06391  41  0679 Dec 09  02:20:02   3973 -16327   P    1.5072  0.0911  64.9N 175.5W   0             
06435  42  0697 Dec 19  10:42:19   3811 -16104   P    1.5144  0.0798  65.9N  48.1E   0             


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

                         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

06478  43  0715 Dec 30  19:02:01   3651 -15881   P    1.5228  0.0660  67.0N  88.0W   0             
06521  44  0734 Jan 10  03:17:02   3493 -15658   P    1.5341  0.0469  68.1N 136.5E   0             
06563  45  0752 Jan 21  11:25:25   3337 -15435   Pe   1.5500  0.0200  69.1N   2.1E   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