Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 88

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 88

Solar eclipses of Saros 88 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 -0246 Oct 06. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 1233 Mar 12. The total duration of Saros series 88 is 1478.47 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  -0246 Oct 06   21:20:58 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   1233 Mar 12   12:10:19 TD

                      Duration of Saros  88  =  1478.47 Years

Saros 88 is composed of 83 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 88
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 83100.0%
PartialP 40 48.2%
AnnularA 26 31.3%
TotalT 13 15.7%
Hybrid[3]H 4 4.8%

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 88 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 88
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 43100.0%
Central (two limits) 41 95.3%
Central (one limit) 0 0.0%
Non-Central (one limit) 2 4.7%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 83 eclipses in Saros 88: 20P 13T 4H 26A 20P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 88 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 88
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse 0854 Jul 2803m47s -
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse 0421 Nov 1100m25s -
Longest Total Solar Eclipse 0187 Jun 2405m31s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse 0331 Sep 1801m58s -
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 0349 Sep 2801m27s -
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 0403 Nov 0100m01s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse 0097 Apr 30 - 0.88180
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 1233 Mar 12 - 0.01211

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 88

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 88. 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 88.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 88

                         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

04182 -49 -0246 Oct 06  21:20:58  13293 -27770   Pb  -1.5237  0.0238  60.9S 176.1E   0             
04223 -48 -0228 Oct 17  05:57:25  13066 -27547   P   -1.5079  0.0539  61.1S  37.4E   0             
04264 -47 -0210 Oct 28  14:39:29  12844 -27324   P   -1.4962  0.0761  61.5S 102.9W   0             
04305 -46 -0192 Nov 07  23:26:28  12626 -27101   P   -1.4885  0.0906  62.1S 115.5E   0             
04347 -45 -0174 Nov 19  08:17:16  12412 -26878   P   -1.4838  0.0993  62.8S  27.2W   0             
04391 -44 -0156 Nov 29  17:10:43  12202 -26655   P   -1.4815  0.1033  63.6S 170.8W   0             
04433 -43 -0138 Dec 11  02:03:35  11995 -26432   P   -1.4787  0.1081  64.5S  45.5E   0             
04476 -42 -0120 Dec 21  10:55:43  11793 -26209   P   -1.4757  0.1131  65.5S  98.4W   0             
04519 -41 -0101 Jan 01  19:44:17  11594 -25986   P   -1.4699  0.1233  66.5S 118.1E   0             
04562 -40 -0083 Jan 12  04:29:23  11398 -25763   P   -1.4617  0.1379  67.6S  24.9W   0             

04607 -39 -0065 Jan 23  13:07:21  11205 -25540   P   -1.4482  0.1625  68.6S 166.7W   0             
04652 -38 -0047 Feb 02  21:40:10  11016 -25317   P   -1.4308  0.1946  69.6S  52.2E   0             
04697 -37 -0029 Feb 14  06:04:21  10829 -25094   P   -1.4069  0.2392  70.4S  87.3W   0             
04744 -36 -0011 Feb 24  14:21:12  10644 -24871   P   -1.3773  0.2949  71.0S 134.5E   0             
04789 -35  0007 Mar 07  22:28:54  10462 -24648   P   -1.3406  0.3647  71.5S   1.9W   0             
04835 -34  0025 Mar 18  06:29:39  10282 -24425   P   -1.2985  0.4452  71.7S 136.8W   0             
04881 -33  0043 Mar 29  14:22:23  10104 -24202   P   -1.2502  0.5381  71.7S  90.2E   0             
04926 -32  0061 Apr 08  22:07:32   9927 -23979   P   -1.1958  0.6431  71.5S  40.7W   0             
04970 -31  0079 Apr 20  05:46:38   9752 -23756   P   -1.1365  0.7577  71.0S 169.8W   0             
05015 -30  0097 Apr 30  13:19:49   9578 -23533   P   -1.0723  0.8818  70.4S  63.1E   0             

05059 -29  0115 May 11  20:48:54   9405 -23310   T-  -1.0051  1.0117  69.6S  62.5W   0             
05103 -28  0133 May 22  04:13:35   9233 -23087   T   -0.9345  1.0601  48.9S 163.6E  20  562  04m32s
05147 -27  0151 Jun 02  11:36:59   9062 -22864   T   -0.8630  1.0613  37.8S  45.5E  30  400  05m06s
05189 -26  0169 Jun 12  18:58:55   8891 -22641   T   -0.7904  1.0610  29.2S  69.8W  38  328  05m25s
05229 -25  0187 Jun 24  02:20:57   8720 -22418   T   -0.7183  1.0595  22.2S 176.2E  44  281  05m31s
05270 -24  0205 Jul 04  09:44:16   8549 -22195   T   -0.6478  1.0570  16.7S  62.7E  50  246  05m23s
05311 -23  0223 Jul 15  17:10:13   8377 -21972   T   -0.5800  1.0536  12.5S  50.7W  54  216  05m05s
05352 -22  0241 Jul 26  00:40:00   8206 -21749   T   -0.5160  1.0495   9.7S 164.5W  59  190  04m40s
05393 -21  0259 Aug 06  08:13:39   8034 -21526   T   -0.4558  1.0447   8.0S  81.0E  63  166  04m09s
05434 -20  0277 Aug 16  15:53:34   7861 -21303   T   -0.4014  1.0395   7.6S  34.9W  66  143  03m37s

05474 -19  0295 Aug 27  23:39:35   7688 -21080   T   -0.3527  1.0338   8.2S 152.1W  69  121  03m03s
05513 -18  0313 Sep 07  07:32:57   7513 -20857   T   -0.3108  1.0280   9.8S  88.7E  72   99  02m30s
05553 -17  0331 Sep 18  15:33:09   7338 -20634   T   -0.2754  1.0221  12.1S  32.1W  74   78  01m58s
05593 -16  0349 Sep 28  23:41:03   7162 -20411   H3  -0.2467  1.0163  15.0S 154.9W  76   57  01m27s
05633 -15  0367 Oct 10  07:55:49   6986 -20188   H   -0.2245  1.0105  18.3S  80.7E  77   37  00m57s
05674 -14  0385 Oct 20  16:16:17   6808 -19965   H   -0.2077  1.0052  21.7S  44.9W  78   18  00m28s
05715 -13  0403 Nov 01  00:43:05   6630 -19742   H   -0.1968  1.0001  25.1S 171.8W  79    1  00m01s
05756 -12  0421 Nov 11  09:13:49   6452 -19519   A   -0.1901  0.9956  28.3S  60.7E  79   16  00m25s
05797 -11  0439 Nov 22  17:48:16   6273 -19296   A   -0.1870  0.9916  31.1S  67.3W  79   30  00m48s
05838 -10  0457 Dec 03  02:22:23   6095 -19073   A   -0.1844  0.9882  33.0S 165.4E  79   42  01m09s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 88

                         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

05881 -09  0475 Dec 14  10:57:44   5918 -18850   A   -0.1835  0.9854  34.1S  38.2E  79   53  01m27s
05924 -08  0493 Dec 24  19:30:00   5741 -18627   Am  -0.1813  0.9831  34.1S  88.2W  79   61  01m43s
05968 -07  0512 Jan 05  03:59:03   5564 -18404   A   -0.1769  0.9815  33.0S 146.1E  80   67  01m55s
06013 -06  0530 Jan 15  12:21:32   5388 -18181   A   -0.1682  0.9802  30.6S  21.6E  80   71  02m05s
06058 -05  0548 Jan 26  20:38:16   5213 -17958   A   -0.1553  0.9794  27.2S 102.2W  81   74  02m12s
06104 -04  0566 Feb 06  04:46:17   5039 -17735   A   -0.1361  0.9790  22.8S 135.5E  82   75  02m17s
06150 -03  0584 Feb 17  12:45:26   4866 -17512   A   -0.1105  0.9788  17.5S  14.7E  84   76  02m21s
06195 -02  0602 Feb 27  20:34:40   4695 -17289   A   -0.0774  0.9787  11.6S 104.3W  85   76  02m23s
06240 -01  0620 Mar 10  04:14:30   4525 -17066   A   -0.0373  0.9787   5.1S 138.5E  88   76  02m25s
06285  00  0638 Mar 21  11:43:16   4357 -16843   A    0.0112  0.9786   1.9N  23.8E  89   76  02m27s

06331  01  0656 Mar 31  19:02:49   4190 -16620   A    0.0666  0.9783   9.2N  88.7W  86   77  02m29s
06377  02  0674 Apr 12  02:12:24   4025 -16397   A    0.1295  0.9778  16.8N 161.4E  82   80  02m31s
06422  03  0692 Apr 22  09:14:36   3862 -16174   A    0.1975  0.9769  24.5N  53.6E  78   84  02m35s
06466  04  0710 May 03  16:06:47   3701 -15951   A    0.2731  0.9755  32.3N  51.2W  74   91  02m38s
06509  05  0728 May 13  22:54:08   3542 -15728   A    0.3517  0.9737  39.9N 153.9W  69  101  02m43s
06551  06  0746 May 25  05:34:14   3386 -15505   A    0.4356  0.9713  47.5N 106.5E  64  114  02m48s
06593  07  0764 Jun 04  12:12:18   3232 -15282   A    0.5199  0.9685  54.5N   9.5E  58  133  02m55s
06634  08  0782 Jun 15  18:45:24   3082 -15059   A    0.6075  0.9649  61.0N  83.3W  52  160  03m02s
06675  09  0800 Jun 26  01:19:56   2935 -14836   A    0.6928  0.9608  66.4N 171.9W  46  198  03m11s
06716  10  0818 Jul 07  07:53:36   2790 -14613   A    0.7782  0.9561  70.2N 105.9E  39  256  03m22s

06756  11  0836 Jul 17  14:30:27   2650 -14390   A    0.8599  0.9508  71.6N  29.0E  30  354  03m34s
06796  12  0854 Jul 28  21:09:52   2513 -14167   A    0.9386  0.9444  70.2N  43.9W  20  603  03m47s
06836  13  0872 Aug 08  03:55:30   2380 -13944   A+   1.0114  0.9437  61.9N 108.0W   0             
06876  14  0890 Aug 19  10:47:01   2251 -13721   P    1.0789  0.8268  61.4N 139.8E   0             
06916  15  0908 Aug 29  17:45:24   2126 -13498   P    1.1402  0.7214  61.0N  25.9E   0             
06956  16  0926 Sep 10  00:52:08   2006 -13275   P    1.1941  0.6293  60.8N  89.9W   0             
06998  17  0944 Sep 20  08:07:18   1890 -13052   P    1.2406  0.5505  60.8N 152.2E   0             
07039  18  0962 Oct 01  15:31:30   1778 -12829   P    1.2793  0.4853  60.9N  32.1E   0             
07079  19  0980 Oct 11  23:03:22   1671 -12606   P    1.3115  0.4317  61.2N  90.0W   0             
07121  20  0998 Oct 23  06:43:47   1569 -12383   P    1.3365  0.3902  61.6N 145.7E   0             

07163  21  1016 Nov 02  14:30:40   1471 -12160   P    1.3559  0.3582  62.3N  19.7E   0             
07205  22  1034 Nov 13  22:23:18   1378 -11937   P    1.3704  0.3345  63.0N 107.9W   0             
07248  23  1052 Nov 24  06:20:27   1289 -11714   P    1.3809  0.3173  63.9N 123.1E   0             
07291  24  1070 Dec 05  14:20:57   1205 -11491   P    1.3881  0.3054  64.8N   7.0W   0             
07335  25  1088 Dec 15  22:22:23   1126 -11268   P    1.3947  0.2944  65.9N 137.8W   0             
07381  26  1106 Dec 27  06:22:57   1051 -11045   P    1.4019  0.2823  67.0N  91.3E   0             
07426  27  1125 Jan 06  14:21:29    980 -10822   P    1.4106  0.2676  68.1N  39.7W   0             
07471  28  1143 Jan 17  22:16:50    914 -10599   P    1.4214  0.2491  69.1N 170.4W   0             
07516  29  1161 Jan 28  06:05:42    851 -10376   P    1.4375  0.2214  70.1N  59.8E   0             
07561  30  1179 Feb 08  13:48:49    792 -10153   P    1.4582  0.1860  70.9N  69.2W   0             


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 88

                         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

07606  31  1197 Feb 18  21:23:51    737  -9930   P    1.4855  0.1390  71.5N 163.4E   0             
07651  32  1215 Mar 02  04:52:15    686  -9707   P    1.5180  0.0828  71.8N  37.1E   0             
07697  33  1233 Mar 12  12:10:19    638  -9484   Pe   1.5587  0.0121  72.0N  86.7W   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)"


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Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Periodicity of Solar Eclipses

Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses

2009 Sep 26