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.
Solar eclipses of Saros 144 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 1736 Apr 11. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 2980 May 05. The total duration of Saros series 144 is 1244.08 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 1736 Apr 11 07:18:07 TD Last Eclipse = 2980 May 05 22:48:34 TD Duration of Saros 144 = 1244.08 Years
Saros 144 is composed of 70 solar eclipses as follows:
| Solar Eclipses of Saros 144 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 70 | 100.0% |
| Partial | P | 31 | 44.3% |
| Annular | A | 39 | 55.7% |
| Total | T | 0 | 0.0% |
| 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 144 appears in the following table.
| Umbral Eclipses of Saros 144 | ||
| Classification | Number | Percent |
| All Umbral Eclipses | 39 | 100.0% |
| Central (two limits) | 39 | 100.0% |
| Central (one limit) | 0 | 0.0% |
| Non-Central (one limit) | 0 | 0.0% |
The following string illustrates the sequence of the 70 eclipses in Saros 144: 8P 39A 23P
The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 144 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.
| Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 144 | |||
| Extrema Type | Date | Duration | Magnitude |
| Longest Annular Solar Eclipse | 2168 Dec 29 | 09m52s | - |
| Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse | 2547 Aug 16 | 00m37s | - |
| Largest Partial Solar Eclipse | 2583 Sep 07 | - | 0.95964 |
| Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse | 2980 May 05 | - | 0.06969 |
The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 144. 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 144.
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
08878 -32 1736 Apr 11 07:18:07 11 -3262 Pb -1.5166 0.0748 71.5S 134.3E 0
08924 -31 1754 Apr 22 14:25:57 13 -3039 P -1.4631 0.1669 71.0S 14.0E 0
08969 -30 1772 May 02 21:26:41 16 -2816 P -1.4043 0.2683 70.2S 104.1W 0
09015 -29 1790 May 14 04:17:21 16 -2593 P -1.3374 0.3840 69.4S 140.9E 0
09060 -28 1808 May 25 11:02:35 12 -2370 P -1.2665 0.5064 68.4S 27.8E 0
09105 -27 1826 Jun 05 17:39:05 9 -2147 P -1.1887 0.6407 67.4S 82.5W 0
09149 -26 1844 Jun 16 00:13:22 6 -1924 P -1.1092 0.7778 66.4S 168.3E 0
09192 -25 1862 Jun 27 06:42:21 8 -1701 P -1.0252 0.9222 65.4S 60.8E 0
09234 -24 1880 Jul 07 13:10:28 -5 -1478 A -0.9406 0.9441 46.4S 33.4W 19 611 05m47s
09276 -23 1898 Jul 18 19:36:54 -4 -1255 A -0.8546 0.9450 35.7S 130.1W 31 385 06m11s
09318 -22 1916 Jul 30 02:06:10 19 -1032 A -0.7709 0.9447 29.0S 132.4E 39 313 06m24s
09361 -21 1934 Aug 10 08:37:48 24 -809 A -0.6890 0.9436 24.5S 34.6E 46 280 06m33s
09403 -20 1952 Aug 20 15:13:35 30 -586 A -0.6102 0.9420 21.7S 64.1W 52 264 06m40s
09443 -19 1970 Aug 31 21:55:30 41 -363 A -0.5364 0.9400 20.3S 164.0W 57 258 06m47s
09483 -18 1988 Sep 11 04:44:29 56 -140 A -0.4681 0.9377 20.0S 94.4E 62 258 06m57s
09522 -17 2006 Sep 22 11:41:16 65 83 A -0.4062 0.9352 20.6S 9.1W 66 261 07m09s
09562 -16 2024 Oct 02 18:46:13 74 306 A -0.3509 0.9326 22.0S 114.5W 69 266 07m25s
09602 -15 2042 Oct 14 02:00:42 87 529 A -0.3030 0.9300 23.7S 137.8E 72 273 07m44s
09643 -14 2060 Oct 24 09:24:10 115 752 A -0.2625 0.9277 25.8S 28.1E 75 281 08m06s
09684 -13 2078 Nov 04 16:55:44 154 975 A -0.2285 0.9255 27.8S 83.3W 77 287 08m29s
09725 -12 2096 Nov 15 00:36:15 195 1198 A -0.2018 0.9237 29.7S 163.3E 78 294 08m53s
09766 -11 2114 Nov 27 08:24:15 238 1421 A -0.1815 0.9223 31.3S 48.4E 79 298 09m14s
09806 -10 2132 Dec 07 16:18:43 283 1644 A -0.1661 0.9215 32.2S 67.9W 80 301 09m33s
09848 -09 2150 Dec 19 00:17:02 330 1867 A -0.1535 0.9211 32.3S 175.0E 81 302 09m46s
09890 -08 2168 Dec 29 08:19:33 369 2090 A -0.1444 0.9215 31.6S 56.7E 82 300 09m52s
09934 -07 2187 Jan 09 16:23:41 410 2313 A -0.1365 0.9224 30.0S 62.1W 82 296 09m51s
09979 -06 2205 Jan 21 00:27:32 454 2536 A -0.1281 0.9241 27.5S 178.6E 82 289 09m42s
10023 -05 2223 Feb 01 08:29:43 499 2759 A -0.1180 0.9263 24.1S 59.2E 83 279 09m26s
10067 -04 2241 Feb 11 16:28:39 546 2982 A -0.1046 0.9292 19.9S 60.0W 84 267 09m04s
10112 -03 2259 Feb 23 00:23:41 596 3205 A -0.0875 0.9326 15.0S 178.8W 85 253 08m36s
10157 -02 2277 Mar 05 08:11:55 647 3428 A -0.0645 0.9366 9.5S 63.6E 86 236 08m04s
10203 -01 2295 Mar 16 15:54:34 701 3651 A -0.0362 0.9409 3.6S 53.0W 88 219 07m29s
10248 00 2313 Mar 27 23:29:31 757 3874 A -0.0011 0.9456 2.6N 167.9W 90 200 06m49s
10293 01 2331 Apr 08 06:57:09 815 4097 A 0.0408 0.9506 9.2N 79.0E 88 181 06m07s
10339 02 2349 Apr 18 14:16:52 874 4320 A 0.0899 0.9557 16.0N 32.1W 85 162 05m23s
10384 03 2367 Apr 29 21:30:03 936 4543 Am 0.1451 0.9607 22.8N 141.2W 82 144 04m38s
10428 04 2385 May 10 04:36:49 1000 4766 A 0.2063 0.9657 29.5N 111.9E 78 126 03m53s
10472 05 2403 May 21 11:36:55 1066 4989 A 0.2737 0.9705 36.1N 7.4E 74 110 03m10s
10515 06 2421 May 31 18:32:59 1135 5212 A 0.3451 0.9750 42.4N 95.0W 70 95 02m32s
10558 07 2439 Jun 12 01:25:22 1205 5435 A 0.4206 0.9791 48.2N 165.1E 65 82 01m59s
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
10601 08 2457 Jun 22 08:16:13 1277 5658 A 0.4979 0.9827 53.2N 67.4E 60 71 01m32s
10644 09 2475 Jul 03 15:05:22 1351 5881 A 0.5775 0.9858 57.3N 27.7W 54 62 01m11s
10686 10 2493 Jul 13 21:56:36 1428 6104 A 0.6562 0.9882 60.3N 121.4W 49 55 00m56s
10728 11 2511 Jul 26 04:49:26 1506 6327 A 0.7346 0.9899 62.1N 146.2E 42 52 00m45s
10768 12 2529 Aug 05 11:45:36 1587 6550 A 0.8109 0.9910 62.9N 53.9E 36 54 00m39s
10808 13 2547 Aug 16 18:46:36 1670 6773 A 0.8841 0.9910 63.0N 38.6W 28 67 00m37s
10848 14 2565 Aug 27 01:53:56 1754 6996 A 0.9527 0.9900 63.0N 129.3W 17 117 00m39s
10888 15 2583 Sep 07 09:09:01 1841 7219 P 1.0160 0.9596 61.3N 150.8E 0
10929 16 2601 Sep 18 16:30:38 1930 7442 P 1.0746 0.8541 61.1N 32.1E 0
10970 17 2619 Sep 30 00:02:28 2021 7665 P 1.1256 0.7620 61.2N 89.2W 0
11011 18 2637 Oct 10 07:42:11 2114 7888 P 1.1709 0.6802 61.4N 147.6E 0
11051 19 2655 Oct 21 15:32:13 2209 8111 P 1.2084 0.6123 61.7N 21.7E 0
11092 20 2673 Oct 31 23:29:55 2306 8334 P 1.2404 0.5544 62.2N 106.2W 0
11133 21 2691 Nov 12 07:38:14 2405 8557 P 1.2646 0.5105 62.8N 123.2E 0
11175 22 2709 Nov 23 15:53:41 2507 8780 P 1.2837 0.4759 63.6N 9.5W 0
11217 23 2727 Dec 05 00:17:21 2610 9003 P 1.2968 0.4521 64.4N 144.5W 0
11260 24 2745 Dec 15 08:47:08 2716 9226 P 1.3057 0.4358 65.4N 78.7E 0
11305 25 2763 Dec 26 17:23:22 2823 9449 P 1.3098 0.4283 66.4N 60.1W 0
11349 26 2782 Jan 06 02:02:17 2933 9672 P 1.3126 0.4228 67.5N 159.9E 0
11394 27 2800 Jan 17 10:43:57 3044 9895 P 1.3141 0.4200 68.6N 18.7E 0
11439 28 2818 Jan 27 19:25:58 3158 10118 P 1.3157 0.4167 69.6N 123.1W 0
11484 29 2836 Feb 08 04:08:21 3274 10341 P 1.3175 0.4130 70.5N 94.2E 0
11530 30 2854 Feb 18 12:46:44 3392 10564 P 1.3232 0.4021 71.2N 48.0W 0
11576 31 2872 Feb 29 21:22:44 3512 10787 P 1.3315 0.3864 71.7N 169.8E 0
11623 32 2890 Mar 12 05:52:26 3634 11010 P 1.3454 0.3600 72.0N 28.9E 0
11670 33 2908 Mar 23 14:18:02 3758 11233 P 1.3632 0.3262 72.1N 111.2W 0
11715 34 2926 Apr 03 22:34:55 3884 11456 P 1.3882 0.2785 71.9N 111.0E 0
11760 35 2944 Apr 14 06:47:04 4012 11679 P 1.4176 0.2219 71.4N 25.3W 0
11804 36 2962 Apr 25 14:50:32 4143 11902 P 1.4546 0.1507 70.8N 158.9W 0
11848 37 2980 May 05 22:48:34 4275 12125 Pe 1.4963 0.0697 70.0N 69.5E 0
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..
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:
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.
[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.
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)"
