The periodicity and recurrence of lunar (and 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 15 centuries and contains 70 or more lunar eclipses.
Lunar eclipses of Saros 8 all occur at the Moon’s ascending node and the Moon moves southward with each eclipse. The series began with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -2494 Aug 08. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -0961 Feb 13. The total duration of Saros series 8 is 1532.56 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -2494 Aug 08 00:01:34 TD
Last Eclipse = -0961 Feb 13 19:32:15 TD
Duration of Saros 8 = 1532.56 Years
Saros 8 is composed of 86 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 8 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 86 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 43 | 50.0% |
| Partial | P | 14 | 16.3% |
| Total | T | 29 | 33.7% |
The 86 lunar eclipses in Saros 8 occur in the order of 21N 7P 29T 7P 22N which corresponds to:
21 Penumbral
7 Partial
29 Total
7 Partial
22 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 8 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1881 Aug 10 Duration = 01h41m56s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1484 Apr 04 Duration = 00h19m26s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2007 May 26 Duration = 03h18m37s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2115 Mar 22 Duration = 00h53m57s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -2133 Mar 12 Duration = 04h32m31s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -0961 Feb 13 Duration = 00h36m43s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 8 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2007 May 26 Magnitude = 0.9549
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2115 Mar 22 Magnitude = 0.0509
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 8 are presented in the following catalog. For eclipses occurring between the years -1999 to +3000 (2000 BCE to 3000 CE), the sequence number in the first column links to a eclipse geometry diagram and a map from Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000. A detailed key and additional information about the catalog can be found at: Key to Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series.
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
01 -34 -2494 Aug 08 00:01:34 59261 -55577 N t- 1.5365 0.0821 -1.0044 89.0 - -
02 -33 -2476 Aug 18 07:09:33 58767 -55354 N t- 1.4926 0.1647 -0.9258 125.3 - -
03 -32 -2458 Aug 29 14:28:07 58274 -55131 N t- 1.4569 0.2322 -0.8619 148.1 - -
04 -31 -2440 Sep 08 21:55:36 57784 -54908 N t- 1.4276 0.2875 -0.8099 164.1 - -
05 -30 -2422 Sep 20 05:32:15 57295 -54685 N t- 1.4054 0.3298 -0.7705 175.1 - -
06 -29 -2404 Sep 30 13:16:47 56809 -54462 N t- 1.3888 0.3613 -0.7412 182.8 - -
07 -28 -2386 Oct 11 21:09:15 56325 -54239 N t- 1.3781 0.3817 -0.7224 187.5 - -
08 -27 -2368 Oct 22 05:05:56 55843 -54016 N t- 1.3705 0.3961 -0.7087 190.6 - -
09 -26 -2350 Nov 02 13:07:41 55363 -53793 N t- 1.3664 0.4036 -0.7012 192.1 - -
10 -25 -2332 Nov 12 21:10:16 54884 -53570 N t- 1.3626 0.4101 -0.6937 193.3 - -
11 -24 -2314 Nov 24 05:14:10 54409 -53347 N t- 1.3591 0.4155 -0.6865 194.2 - -
12 -23 -2296 Dec 04 13:14:05 53935 -53124 N t- 1.3521 0.4271 -0.6722 196.3 - -
13 -22 -2278 Dec 15 21:12:35 53463 -52901 N t- 1.3433 0.4414 -0.6545 198.8 - -
14 -21 -2260 Dec 26 05:04:29 52993 -52678 N t- 1.3294 0.4649 -0.6269 203.1 - -
15 -20 -2241 Jan 06 12:50:30 52525 -52455 N t- 1.3098 0.4985 -0.5886 209.0 - -
16 -19 -2223 Jan 16 20:27:42 52060 -52232 N t- 1.2827 0.5455 -0.5364 217.0 - -
17 -18 -2205 Jan 28 03:57:58 51596 -52009 N t- 1.2494 0.6038 -0.4723 226.2 - -
18 -17 -2187 Feb 07 11:19:25 51135 -51786 N t- 1.2083 0.6762 -0.3941 236.9 - -
19 -16 -2169 Feb 18 18:32:18 50675 -51563 N t- 1.1597 0.7624 -0.3018 248.4 - -
20 -15 -2151 Mar 01 01:37:21 50218 -51340 N t- 1.1039 0.8618 -0.1964 260.4 - -
21 -14 -2133 Mar 12 08:35:31 49763 -51117 N t- 1.0412 0.9737 -0.0784 272.5 - -
22 -13 -2115 Mar 22 15:27:12 49310 -50894 P t- 0.9723 1.0973 0.0509 284.3 54.0 -
23 -12 -2097 Apr 02 22:13:45 48859 -50671 P t- 0.8979 1.2309 0.1900 295.5 101.9 -
24 -11 -2079 Apr 13 04:56:52 48410 -50448 P t- 0.8195 1.3722 0.3365 305.7 132.3 -
25 -10 -2061 Apr 24 11:38:11 47963 -50225 P t- 0.7383 1.5189 0.4879 314.8 155.1 -
26 -09 -2043 May 04 18:17:57 47518 -50002 P t- 0.6544 1.6707 0.6439 322.7 173.3 -
27 -08 -2025 May 16 00:59:22 47075 -49779 P t- 0.5705 1.8227 0.7996 329.2 187.5 -
28 -07 -2007 May 26 07:42:45 46634 -49556 P t- 0.4868 1.9747 0.9549 334.5 198.6 -
29 -06 -1989 Jun 06 14:31:12 46196 -49333 T h- 0.4062 2.1212 1.1041 338.4 207.0 49.8
30 -05 -1971 Jun 16 21:23:00 45759 -49110 T a- 0.3272 2.2651 1.2501 341.3 213.2 73.4
31 -04 -1953 Jun 28 04:23:00 45324 -48887 T+ p- 0.2538 2.3990 1.3856 343.0 217.4 86.5
32 -03 -1935 Jul 08 11:29:27 44892 -48664 T+ p- 0.1844 2.5257 1.5135 343.8 220.1 94.5
33 -02 -1917 Jul 19 18:45:27 44462 -48441 T+ pp 0.1221 2.6396 1.6283 343.9 221.5 99.1
34 -01 -1899 Jul 30 02:09:52 44033 -48218 T+ pp 0.0657 2.7428 1.7319 343.4 221.9 101.3
35 00 -1881 Aug 10 09:45:33 43607 -47995 T+ pp 0.0177 2.8309 1.8202 342.5 221.6 101.9
36 01 -1863 Aug 20 17:31:26 43183 -47772 T- pp -0.0229 2.8212 1.8106 341.3 220.8 101.5
37 02 -1845 Sep 01 01:27:01 42761 -47549 T- pp -0.0567 2.7593 1.7488 340.0 219.8 100.6
38 03 -1827 Sep 11 09:33:07 42341 -47326 T- pp -0.0825 2.7118 1.7013 338.7 218.8 99.4
39 04 -1809 Sep 22 17:48:39 41923 -47103 T- pp -0.1013 2.6772 1.6669 337.4 217.7 98.3
40 05 -1791 Oct 03 02:13:16 41507 -46880 T- pp -0.1137 2.6543 1.6445 336.2 216.8 97.4
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
41 06 -1773 Oct 14 10:44:03 41093 -46657 T- pp -0.1217 2.6391 1.6302 335.0 216.0 96.7
42 07 -1755 Oct 24 19:21:55 40681 -46434 T- pp -0.1247 2.6330 1.6254 333.9 215.4 96.3
43 08 -1737 Nov 05 04:03:35 40272 -46211 T- pp -0.1252 2.6312 1.6254 332.8 214.8 96.1
44 09 -1719 Nov 15 12:48:09 39864 -45988 T- pp -0.1238 2.6326 1.6291 331.7 214.4 96.1
45 10 -1701 Nov 26 21:32:42 39459 -45765 T- -p -0.1229 2.6328 1.6321 330.6 214.0 96.0
46 11 -1683 Dec 07 06:16:55 39055 -45542 T- -p -0.1228 2.6312 1.6339 329.5 213.6 96.0
47 12 -1665 Dec 18 14:57:40 38654 -45319 T- -p -0.1261 2.6233 1.6299 328.3 213.1 95.7
48 13 -1647 Dec 28 23:34:13 38255 -45096 T- -p -0.1333 2.6078 1.6187 327.0 212.6 95.3
49 14 -1628 Jan 09 08:05:14 37857 -44873 T- -p -0.1455 2.5831 1.5987 325.6 211.9 94.5
50 15 -1610 Jan 19 16:30:35 37462 -44650 T- -p -0.1626 2.5492 1.5697 324.0 211.0 93.3
51 16 -1592 Jan 31 00:47:15 37069 -44427 T- -p -0.1877 2.5007 1.5262 322.3 209.9 91.3
52 17 -1574 Feb 10 08:57:26 36678 -44204 T- -p -0.2187 2.4412 1.4718 320.4 208.3 88.3
53 18 -1556 Feb 21 16:59:01 36289 -43981 T- -p -0.2573 2.3678 1.4034 318.0 206.2 83.8
54 19 -1538 Mar 04 00:54:55 35902 -43758 T -p -0.3012 2.2850 1.3253 315.4 203.4 77.3
55 20 -1520 Mar 14 08:41:24 35517 -43535 T -p -0.3534 2.1870 1.2317 312.1 199.6 67.3
56 21 -1502 Mar 25 16:23:45 35135 -43312 T -a -0.4095 2.0821 1.1308 308.3 194.8 52.2
57 22 -1484 Apr 04 23:58:43 34754 -43089 T -a -0.4724 1.9648 1.0170 303.7 188.5 19.4
58 23 -1466 Apr 16 07:30:32 34376 -42866 P -a -0.5382 1.8426 0.8978 298.4 180.7 -
59 24 -1448 Apr 26 14:56:35 33999 -42643 P -a -0.6090 1.7115 0.7690 292.0 170.8 -
60 25 -1430 May 07 22:22:18 33625 -42420 P -a -0.6803 1.5798 0.6390 284.8 158.9 -
61 26 -1412 May 18 05:45:10 33252 -42197 P -a -0.7542 1.4437 0.5038 276.6 144.0 -
62 27 -1394 May 29 13:08:59 32882 -41974 P -a -0.8274 1.3093 0.3697 267.4 125.8 -
63 28 -1376 Jun 08 20:33:09 32514 -41751 P -a -0.9003 1.1757 0.2357 257.2 102.4 -
64 29 -1358 Jun 20 04:01:01 32148 -41528 P -a -0.9702 1.0479 0.1068 246.3 70.2 -
65 30 -1340 Jun 30 11:31:56 31783 -41305 N -a -1.0375 0.9253 -0.0175 234.6 - -
66 31 -1322 Jul 11 19:07:26 31422 -41082 N -a -1.1010 0.8101 -0.1352 222.3 - -
67 32 -1304 Jul 22 02:49:06 31062 -40859 N -a -1.1594 0.7043 -0.2438 209.8 - -
68 33 -1286 Aug 02 10:37:32 30704 -40636 N -a -1.2126 0.6083 -0.3431 197.1 - -
69 34 -1268 Aug 12 18:33:13 30348 -40413 N -a -1.2597 0.5239 -0.4312 184.7 - -
70 35 -1250 Aug 24 02:36:43 29994 -40190 N -a -1.3005 0.4510 -0.5081 172.9 - -
71 36 -1232 Sep 03 10:48:40 29643 -39967 N -a -1.3344 0.3909 -0.5723 162.2 - -
72 37 -1214 Sep 14 19:08:36 29293 -39744 N -a -1.3619 0.3424 -0.6249 152.8 - -
73 38 -1196 Sep 25 03:35:03 28945 -39521 N -a -1.3842 0.3036 -0.6678 144.7 - -
74 39 -1178 Oct 06 12:09:06 28600 -39298 N -a -1.4003 0.2760 -0.6993 138.6 - -
75 40 -1160 Oct 16 20:48:47 28257 -39075 N -a -1.4115 0.2574 -0.7216 134.4 - -
76 41 -1142 Oct 28 05:33:32 27915 -38852 N -a -1.4188 0.2456 -0.7365 131.8 - -
77 42 -1124 Nov 07 14:20:30 27576 -38629 N -a -1.4239 0.2376 -0.7475 130.0 - -
78 43 -1106 Nov 18 23:09:57 27239 -38406 N -a -1.4269 0.2333 -0.7541 129.2 - -
79 44 -1088 Nov 29 07:59:19 26904 -38183 N -a -1.4297 0.2291 -0.7602 128.4 - -
80 45 -1070 Dec 10 16:46:42 26571 -37960 N -a -1.4338 0.2223 -0.7683 126.8 - -
TD of Phase
Seq. Rel. Calendar Greatest Luna Ecl. Pen. Um. ---- Durations ----
Num. Num. Date Eclipse ΔT Num Type QSE Gamma Mag. Mag. Pen. Par. Total
s m m m
81 46 -1052 Dec 21 01:30:45 26240 -37737 N -a -1.4401 0.2111 -0.7804 124.0 - -
82 47 -1033 Jan 01 10:09:48 25911 -37514 N -a -1.4503 0.1927 -0.7992 119.0 - -
83 48 -1015 Jan 11 18:42:52 25585 -37291 N -a -1.4648 0.1661 -0.8260 111.0 - -
84 49 -0997 Jan 23 03:07:35 25260 -37068 N -a -1.4858 0.1277 -0.8644 97.9 - -
85 50 -0979 Feb 02 11:24:38 24937 -36845 N -a -1.5123 0.0789 -0.9129 77.5 - -
86 51 -0961 Feb 13 19:32:15 24617 -36622 Ne -a -1.5457 0.0174 -0.9741 36.7 - -
[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]Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when Moon passes closest to the axis of Earth's shadow.
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.
The Besselian elements used in the predictions were kindly provided by Jean Meeus. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy. Some of the information presented on this web site is based on data originally published in Five Millennium Canon of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 and Five Millennium Catalog of Lunar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:
"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak and Jean Meeus (NASA's GSFC)"
