Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 38

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 38 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 -1391 Apr 27. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -0111 Jun 03. The total duration of Saros series 38 is 1280.14 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse = -1391 Apr 27   00:54:47 TD
                       Last Eclipse = -0111 Jun 03   08:35:04 TD

                      Duration of Saros  38  =  1280.14 Years

Saros 38 is composed of 72 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 38
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 72100.0%
PenumbralN 16 22.2%
PartialP 42 58.3%
TotalT 14 19.4%

The 72 lunar eclipses in Saros 38 occur in the order of 7N 19P 14T 23P 9N which corresponds to:

                                     7  Penumbral
                                    19  Partial
                                    14  Total
                                    23  Partial
                                     9  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 38 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -0778 Apr 29      Duration = 01h44m24s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -0922 Feb 01      Duration = 00h15m17s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0940 Jan 22      Duration = 03h24m55s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0273 Feb 26      Duration = 00h41m24s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -1283 Jun 30      Duration = 04h44m24s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0111 Jun 03      Duration = 00h44m51s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 38 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0940 Jan 22      Magnitude = 0.9538
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0273 Feb 26      Magnitude = 0.0357

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 38 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.



Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 38

                          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  -1391 Apr 27  00:54:47  32822 -41938   N   t-   1.5130  0.1101 -0.9462  100.8    -      -  
 02  -33  -1373 May 08  07:20:23  32454 -41715   N   t-   1.4334  0.2567 -0.8008  152.3    -      -  
 03  -32  -1355 May 18  13:43:17  32089 -41492   N   t-   1.3517  0.4076 -0.6516  189.7    -      -  
 04  -31  -1337 May 29  20:04:21  31725 -41269   N   t-   1.2682  0.5618 -0.4994  220.0    -      -  
 05  -30  -1319 Jun 09  02:25:36  31363 -41046   N   t-   1.1848  0.7161 -0.3475  245.2    -      -  
 06  -29  -1301 Jun 20  08:48:24  31004 -40823   N   t-   1.1024  0.8685 -0.1978  266.5    -      -  
 07  -28  -1283 Jun 30  15:15:26  30646 -40600   Nx  t-   1.0232  1.0155 -0.0540  284.4    -      -  
 08  -27  -1265 Jul 11  21:47:47  30291 -40377   P   t-   0.9479  1.1553  0.0824  299.4   70.1    -  
 09  -26  -1247 Jul 22  04:25:54  29937 -40154   P   t-   0.8770  1.2873  0.2108  312.1  110.2    -  
 10  -25  -1229 Aug 02  11:11:57  29586 -39931   P   t-   0.8123  1.4080  0.3276  322.5  135.1    -  

 11  -24  -1211 Aug 12  18:06:30  29237 -39708   P   t-   0.7542  1.5165  0.4323  331.0  152.7    -  
 12  -23  -1193 Aug 24  01:10:38  28890 -39485   P   t-   0.7036  1.6112  0.5233  337.8  165.7    -  
 13  -22  -1175 Sep 03  08:23:28  28545 -39262   P   t-   0.6599  1.6932  0.6016  343.2  175.4    -  
 14  -21  -1157 Sep 14  15:46:36  28202 -39039   P   t-   0.6243  1.7603  0.6654  347.4  182.5    -  
 15  -20  -1139 Sep 24  23:18:52  27861 -38816   P   t-   0.5958  1.8140  0.7161  350.4  187.6    -  
 16  -19  -1121 Oct 06  06:59:26  27522 -38593   P   t-   0.5741  1.8550  0.7548  352.6  191.2    -  
 17  -18  -1103 Oct 16  14:47:56  27185 -38370   P   t-   0.5586  1.8844  0.7823  354.1  193.6    -  
 18  -17  -1085 Oct 27  22:42:29  26850 -38147   P   t-   0.5479  1.9047  0.8015  354.9  195.1    -  
 19  -16  -1067 Nov 07  06:42:34  26517 -37924   P   t-   0.5412  1.9171  0.8136  355.2  196.0    -  
 20  -15  -1049 Nov 18  14:44:07  26187 -37701   P   t-   0.5354  1.9275  0.8245  355.3  196.7    -  

 21  -14  -1031 Nov 28  22:48:45  25858 -37478   P   t-   0.5317  1.9337  0.8320  355.0  197.1    -  
 22  -13  -1013 Dec 10  06:51:51  25532 -37255   P   t-   0.5268  1.9415  0.8419  354.7  197.7    -  
 23  -12  -0995 Dec 20  14:53:25  25208 -37032   P   t-   0.5198  1.9529  0.8563  354.4  198.6    -  
 24  -11  -0977 Dec 31  22:49:31  24885 -36809   P   t-   0.5079  1.9728  0.8799  354.4  200.2    -  
 25  -10  -0958 Jan 11  06:41:45  24565 -36586   P   t-   0.4923  1.9992  0.9107  354.5  202.2    -  
 26  -09  -0940 Jan 22  14:26:36  24247 -36363   P   t-   0.4702  2.0374  0.9538  354.9  204.9    -  
 27  -08  -0922 Feb 01  22:04:15  23931 -36140   T   t-   0.4417  2.0870  1.0088  355.5  208.2   15.3
 28  -07  -0904 Feb 13  05:33:26  23617 -35917   T   t-   0.4057  2.1501  1.0776  356.4  211.9   44.4
 29  -06  -0886 Feb 23  12:55:06  23305 -35694   T   t-   0.3627  2.2259  1.1594  357.4  215.9   61.9
 30  -05  -0868 Mar 05  20:08:07  22995 -35471   T   t-   0.3121  2.3158  1.2553  358.4  219.8   75.7

 31  -04  -0850 Mar 17  03:13:47  22687 -35248   T+  p-   0.2547  2.4181  1.3636  359.2  223.4   86.7
 32  -03  -0832 Mar 27  10:12:34  22381 -35025   T+  pp   0.1907  2.5325  1.4839  359.6  226.3   95.2
 33  -02  -0814 Apr 07  17:06:23  22078 -34802   T+  pp   0.1220  2.6558  1.6129  359.5  228.3  101.0
 34  -01  -0796 Apr 17  23:54:11  21776 -34579   T+  pp   0.0472  2.7904  1.7528  358.7  229.2  104.2
 35   00  -0778 Apr 29  06:40:16  21477 -34356   T-  pp  -0.0299  2.8195  1.7868  357.1  228.8  104.4
 36   01  -0760 May 09  13:23:29  21179 -34133   T-  pp  -0.1107  2.6690  1.6409  354.6  226.9  101.4
 37   02  -0742 May 20  20:08:29  20884 -33910   T-  pp  -0.1908  2.5199  1.4959  351.2  223.5   95.0
 38   03  -0724 May 31  02:52:11  20591 -33687   T   pp  -0.2731  2.3672  1.3467  346.8  218.5   84.0
 39   04  -0706 Jun 11  09:41:03  20299 -33464   T   -p  -0.3522  2.2205  1.2030  341.7  212.0   67.4
 40   05  -0688 Jun 21  16:32:27  20010 -33241   T   -t  -0.4305  2.0756  1.0606  335.7  204.0   38.4


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 38

                          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  -0670 Jul 02  23:30:55  19723 -33018   P   -t  -0.5038  1.9401  0.9271  329.2  194.8    -  
 42   07  -0652 Jul 13  06:34:33  19438 -32795   P   -t  -0.5737  1.8110  0.7995  322.1  184.4    -  
 43   08  -0634 Jul 24  13:47:57  19155 -32572   P   -t  -0.6366  1.6950  0.6846  315.1  173.4    -  
 44   09  -0616 Aug 03  21:09:18  18874 -32349   P   -h  -0.6939  1.5896  0.5798  308.0  161.7    -  
 45   10  -0598 Aug 15  04:40:06  18596 -32126   P   -h  -0.7444  1.4967  0.4874  301.1  149.9    -  
 46   11  -0580 Aug 25  12:20:21  18319 -31903   P   -a  -0.7879  1.4167  0.4076  294.7  138.3    -  
 47   12  -0562 Sep 05  20:11:14  18044 -31680   P   -a  -0.8234  1.3516  0.3425  289.1  127.7    -  
 48   13  -0544 Sep 16  04:11:56  17772 -31457   P   -a  -0.8519  1.2993  0.2902  284.2  118.0    -  
 49   14  -0526 Sep 27  12:21:37  17501 -31234   P   -a  -0.8738  1.2590  0.2501  280.2  109.9    -  
 50   15  -0508 Oct 07  20:40:46  17233 -31011   P   -a  -0.8890  1.2311  0.2224  277.1  103.7    -  

 51   16  -0490 Oct 19  05:07:52  16933 -30788   P   -a  -0.8984  1.2134  0.2054  274.8   99.6    -  
 52   17  -0472 Oct 29  13:41:34  16618 -30565   P   -a  -0.9033  1.2040  0.1970  273.2   97.4    -  
 53   18  -0454 Nov 09  22:20:25  16313 -30342   P   -a  -0.9047  1.2008  0.1951  272.1   96.7    -  
 54   19  -0436 Nov 20  07:03:11  16016 -30119   P   -a  -0.9037  1.2016  0.1979  271.4   97.1    -  
 55   20  -0418 Dec 01  15:47:52  15726 -29896   P   -a  -0.9018  1.2039  0.2026  270.7   98.0    -  
 56   21  -0400 Dec 12  00:32:05  15445 -29673   P   -a  -0.9010  1.2038  0.2055  269.9   98.4    -  
 57   22  -0382 Dec 23  09:15:28  15170 -29450   P   -a  -0.9014  1.2013  0.2064  268.8   98.4    -  
 58   23  -0363 Jan 02  17:55:51  14902 -29227   P   -a  -0.9045  1.1936  0.2026  267.3   97.3    -  
 59   24  -0345 Jan 14  02:31:12  14640 -29004   P   -a  -0.9126  1.1767  0.1901  265.1   94.2    -  
 60   25  -0327 Jan 24  11:00:41  14384 -28781   P   -a  -0.9259  1.1500  0.1680  262.0   88.7    -  

 61   26  -0309 Feb 04  19:23:44  14134 -28558   P   -a  -0.9448  1.1128  0.1356  258.0   79.9    -  
 62   27  -0291 Feb 15  03:40:08  13889 -28335   P   -a  -0.9696  1.0648  0.0925  252.9   66.3    -  
 63   28  -0273 Feb 26  11:47:47  13650 -28112   P   -a  -1.0019  1.0030  0.0357  246.4   41.4    -  
 64   29  -0255 Mar 08  19:49:00  13416 -27889   N   -a  -1.0400  0.9309 -0.0318  238.5    -      -  
 65   30  -0237 Mar 20  03:42:06  13186 -27666   N   -a  -1.0853  0.8453 -0.1128  228.7    -      -  
 66   31  -0219 Mar 30  11:29:13  12961 -27443   N   -a  -1.1359  0.7504 -0.2035  217.1    -      -  
 67   32  -0201 Apr 10  19:08:52  12741 -27220   N   -a  -1.1929  0.6439 -0.3062  202.8    -      -  
 68   33  -0183 Apr 21  02:44:46  12525 -26997   N   -a  -1.2534  0.5313 -0.4156  185.9    -      -  
 69   34  -0165 May 02  10:15:39  12313 -26774   N   -a  -1.3184  0.4107 -0.5335  165.1    -      -  
 70   35  -0147 May 12  17:43:38  12105 -26551   N   -a  -1.3860  0.2855 -0.6566  139.1    -      -  

 71   36  -0129 May 24  01:09:34  11900 -26328   N   -a  -1.4555  0.1573 -0.7834  104.4    -      -  
 72   37  -0111 Jun 03  08:35:04  11699 -26105   Ne  -a  -1.5255  0.0284 -0.9116   44.8    -      -  


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]Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when Moon passes closest to the axis of Earth's shadow.


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.


Acknowledgments

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)"


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2009 Sep 29