Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 103

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 103

Solar eclipses of Saros 103 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 0387 Apr 04. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 1667 May 22. The total duration of Saros series 103 is 1280.14 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =   0387 Apr 04   21:52:16 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   1667 May 22   22:57:60 TD

                      Duration of Saros 103  =  1280.14 Years

Saros 103 is composed of 72 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 103
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 72100.0%
PartialP 22 30.6%
AnnularA 13 18.1%
TotalT 34 47.2%
Hybrid[3]H 3 4.2%

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 103 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 103
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 50100.0%
Central (two limits) 46 92.0%
Central (one limit) 1 2.0%
Non-Central (one limit) 3 6.0%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 72 eclipses in Saros 103: 8P 34T 3H 13A 14P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 103 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 103
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse 1360 Nov 0903m53s -
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse 1198 Aug 0400m21s -
Longest Total Solar Eclipse 0639 Sep 0304m42s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse 1126 Jun 2202m09s -
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 1144 Jul 0201m39s -
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 1180 Jul 2400m21s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse 0513 Jun 19 - 0.99077
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 1667 May 22 - 0.01019

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 103

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 103. 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 103.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 103

                         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

05678 -37  0387 Apr 04  21:52:16   6794 -19947   Pb   1.5046  0.0533  61.1N 140.0E   0             
05719 -36  0405 Apr 15  05:32:35   6616 -19724   P    1.4444  0.1668  61.3N  15.4E   0             
05760 -35  0423 Apr 26  13:07:50   6437 -19501   P    1.3796  0.2901  61.8N 108.0W   0             
05801 -34  0441 May 06  20:39:42   6259 -19278   P    1.3114  0.4208  62.3N 129.2E   0             
05842 -33  0459 May 18  04:07:08   6081 -19055   P    1.2392  0.5603  63.0N   7.4E   0             
05885 -32  0477 May 28  11:33:37   5903 -18832   P    1.1660  0.7023  63.8N 114.4W   0             
05928 -31  0495 Jun 08  18:58:41   5727 -18609   P    1.0914  0.8472  64.7N 124.0E   0             
05972 -30  0513 Jun 19  02:25:05   5550 -18386   P    1.0176  0.9908  65.6N   1.6E   0             
06016 -29  0531 Jun 30  09:51:59   5374 -18163   T    0.9440  1.0666  85.2N 106.3W  19  680  03m23s
06061 -28  0549 Jul 10  17:23:12   5199 -17940   T    0.8739  1.0688  83.1N  38.7W  29  468  03m48s

06107 -27  0567 Jul 22  00:57:59   5025 -17717   T    0.8068  1.0692  73.4N 153.4W  36  385  04m07s
06153 -26  0585 Aug 01  08:37:54   4852 -17494   T    0.7441  1.0687  64.6N  89.6E  42  336  04m22s
06198 -25  0603 Aug 12  16:23:34   4681 -17271   T    0.6860  1.0671  56.4N  29.3W  46  301  04m33s
06243 -24  0621 Aug 23  00:16:24   4512 -17048   T    0.6340  1.0648  48.6N 150.4W  50  274  04m40s
06288 -23  0639 Sep 03  08:17:01   4343 -16825   T    0.5887  1.0620  41.3N  86.5E  54  250  04m42s
06334 -22  0657 Sep 13  16:24:06   4177 -16602   T    0.5490  1.0588  34.4N  38.3W  56  230  04m42s
06380 -21  0675 Sep 25  00:40:11   4012 -16379   T    0.5170  1.0553  28.0N 165.2W  59  212  04m37s
06425 -20  0693 Oct 05  09:03:11   3849 -16156   T    0.4910  1.0517  22.2N  66.3E  60  196  04m30s
06469 -19  0711 Oct 16  17:34:15   3688 -15933   T    0.4719  1.0482  17.1N  64.0W  62  181  04m21s
06512 -18  0729 Oct 27  02:10:21   3529 -15710   T    0.4574  1.0448  12.6N 164.7E  63  167  04m11s

06554 -17  0747 Nov 07  10:53:06   3373 -15487   T    0.4487  1.0416   8.9N  32.0E  63  155  04m00s
06596 -16  0765 Nov 17  19:39:02   3220 -15264   T    0.4430  1.0389   6.0N 101.2W  64  145  03m49s
06637 -15  0783 Nov 29  04:28:09   3070 -15041   T    0.4403  1.0365   3.9N 124.9E  64  137  03m39s
06678 -14  0801 Dec 09  13:18:07   2923 -14818   T    0.4386  1.0346   2.7N   9.0W  64  130  03m29s
06719 -13  0819 Dec 20  22:08:51   2779 -14595   T    0.4377  1.0332   2.2N 143.0W  64  124  03m19s
06759 -12  0837 Dec 31  06:56:29   2639 -14372   T    0.4348  1.0323   2.5N  83.7E  64  121  03m12s
06799 -11  0856 Jan 11  15:41:03   2502 -14149   T    0.4296  1.0318   3.4N  48.7W  65  118  03m05s
06839 -10  0874 Jan 22  00:20:14   2370 -13926   T    0.4203  1.0318   4.8N 179.8W  65  117  03m01s
06879 -09  0892 Feb 02  08:54:33   2241 -13703   T    0.4071  1.0320   6.6N  50.3E  66  117  02m57s
06919 -08  0910 Feb 12  17:19:42   2117 -13480   T    0.3867  1.0325   8.6N  77.1W  67  118  02m56s

06959 -07  0928 Feb 24  01:38:26   1996 -13257   T    0.3615  1.0331  10.9N 157.3E  69  119  02m55s
07001 -06  0946 Mar 06  09:46:58   1881 -13034   T    0.3283  1.0338  13.1N  34.4E  71  120  02m56s
07042 -05  0964 Mar 16  17:48:19   1770 -12811   T    0.2895  1.0344  15.3N  86.3W  73  120  02m57s
07082 -04  0982 Mar 28  01:38:12   1663 -12588   T    0.2418  1.0347  17.2N 156.3E  76  120  02m59s
07124 -03  1000 Apr 07  09:21:38   1561 -12365   T    0.1892  1.0348  18.7N  40.8E  79  119  03m01s
07166 -02  1018 Apr 18  16:54:52   1464 -12142   T    0.1290  1.0344  19.5N  71.7W  82  117  03m03s
07208 -01  1036 Apr 29  00:21:45   1371 -11919   Tm   0.0642  1.0335  19.6N 177.6E  86  113  03m04s
07251  00  1054 May 10  07:40:25   1283 -11696   T   -0.0066  1.0319  18.8N  69.0E  90  108  03m02s
07294  01  1072 May 20  14:54:52   1199 -11473   T   -0.0801  1.0299  16.9N  38.6W  86  101  02m58s
07338  02  1090 May 31  22:03:44   1120 -11250   T   -0.1573  1.0270  14.0N 145.2W  81   93  02m48s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 103

                         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

07384  03  1108 Jun 11  05:09:17   1045 -11027   T   -0.2364  1.0235  10.0N 108.5E  76   82  02m32s
07430  04  1126 Jun 22  12:12:40    975 -10804   T   -0.3161  1.0193   5.0N   2.1E  72   69  02m09s
07475  05  1144 Jul 02  19:15:50    908 -10581   H   -0.3949  1.0145   0.8S 105.0W  67   54  01m39s
07520  06  1162 Jul 14  02:19:38    846 -10358   H   -0.4722  1.0091   7.3S 147.1E  62   35  01m02s
07566  07  1180 Jul 24  09:25:08    788 -10135   H   -0.5471  1.0031  14.4S  38.0E  57   13  00m21s
07611  08  1198 Aug 04  16:34:46    733  -9912   A   -0.6176  0.9967  22.0S  72.8W  52   15  00m21s
07656  09  1216 Aug 14  23:48:35    682  -9689   A   -0.6832  0.9899  29.9S 174.6E  47   48  01m02s
07702  10  1234 Aug 26  07:07:19    634  -9466   A   -0.7438  0.9829  38.0S  60.0E  42   90  01m39s
07747  11  1252 Sep 05  14:32:18    590  -9243   A   -0.7982  0.9757  46.2S  57.0W  37  143  02m11s
07791  12  1270 Sep 16  22:04:26    548  -9020   A   -0.8459  0.9686  54.3S 177.2W  32  211  02m38s

07834  13  1288 Sep 27  05:43:53    509  -8797   A   -0.8863  0.9616  62.1S  58.9E  27  301  03m00s
07876  14  1306 Oct 08  13:29:27    473  -8574   A   -0.9208  0.9547  69.4S  70.7W  22  428  03m18s
07918  15  1324 Oct 18  21:22:40    439  -8351   A   -0.9481  0.9483  75.4S 149.9E  18  613  03m33s
07959  16  1342 Oct 30  05:22:14    407  -8128   A   -0.9696  0.9422  78.6S   5.8W  13  920  03m44s
08001  17  1360 Nov 09  13:27:09    377  -7905   As  -0.9858  0.9366  76.8S 166.6W   9   -   03m53s
08042  18  1378 Nov 20  21:36:04    349  -7682   A-  -0.9981  0.9635  68.1S  45.5E   0             
08083  19  1396 Dec 01  05:48:03    322  -7459   A-  -1.0074  0.9463  67.0S  88.6W   0             
08123  20  1414 Dec 12  14:01:50    297  -7236   A-  -1.0145  0.9330  65.9S 137.3E   0             
08163  21  1432 Dec 22  22:14:13    273  -7013   P   -1.0224  0.9188  64.9S   4.1E   0             
08203  22  1451 Jan 03  06:25:40    251  -6790   P   -1.0306  0.9045  63.9S 128.6W   0             

08242  23  1469 Jan 13  14:32:44    229  -6567   P   -1.0420  0.8851  63.0S 100.3E   0             
08282  24  1487 Jan 24  22:35:03    209  -6344   P   -1.0566  0.8604  62.3S  29.5W   0             
08323  25  1505 Feb 04  06:29:08    190  -6121   P   -1.0775  0.8255  61.7S 156.9W   0             
08365  26  1523 Feb 15  14:16:44    173  -5898   P   -1.1030  0.7827  61.2S  77.4E   0             
08406  27  1541 Feb 25  21:54:42    157  -5675   P   -1.1360  0.7272  61.0S  45.8W   0             
08447  28  1559 Mar 09  05:23:01    143  -5452   P   -1.1761  0.6598  60.8S 166.6W   0             
08488  29  1577 Mar 19  12:41:15    131  -5229   P   -1.2235  0.5798  60.9S  75.2E   0             
08529  30  1595 Apr 09  19:50:05    121  -5006   P   -1.2777  0.4879  61.1S  40.7W   0             
08569  31  1613 Apr 20  02:49:29    103  -4783   P   -1.3389  0.3839  61.5S 154.4W   0             
08613  32  1631 May 01  09:39:23     77  -4560   P   -1.4070  0.2677  62.0S  94.2E   0             

08658  33  1649 May 11  16:22:04     50  -4337   P   -1.4801  0.1427  62.7S  15.7W   0             
08704  34  1667 May 22  22:58:00     26  -4114   Pe  -1.5574  0.0102  63.5S 124.0W   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