Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 39

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 39 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series began with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -1380 Mar 26. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -0082 May 14. The total duration of Saros series 39 is 1298.17 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse = -1380 Mar 26   01:54:14 TD
                       Last Eclipse = -0082 May 14   19:40:04 TD

                      Duration of Saros  39  =  1298.17 Years

Saros 39 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 39
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 73100.0%
PenumbralN 16 21.9%
PartialP 31 42.5%
TotalT 26 35.6%

The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 39 occur in the order of 7N 10P 26T 21P 9N which corresponds to:

                                     7  Penumbral
                                    10  Partial
                                    26  Total
                                    21  Partial
                                     9  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 39 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -0731 Apr 19      Duration = 01h39m23s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -1074 Sep 26      Duration = 00h27m46s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1092 Sep 14      Duration = 03h10m23s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0244 Feb 07      Duration = 00h10m37s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0226 Feb 17      Duration = 04h16m10s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0082 May 14      Duration = 00h52m53s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 39 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -1092 Sep 14      Magnitude = 0.9952
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0244 Feb 07      Magnitude = 0.0021

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 39 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 39

                          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  -36  -1380 Mar 26  01:54:14  32599 -41803   Nb  h-  -1.5235  0.0736 -0.9487   78.9    -      -  
 02  -35  -1362 Apr 06  08:58:11  32233 -41580   N   h-  -1.4530  0.1999 -0.8163  128.0    -      -  
 03  -34  -1344 Apr 16  15:57:02  31868 -41357   N   h-  -1.3770  0.3367 -0.6740  163.3    -      -  
 04  -33  -1326 Apr 27  22:54:49  31506 -41134   N   a-  -1.2987  0.4776 -0.5279  191.0    -      -  
 05  -32  -1308 May 08  05:50:48  31145 -40911   N   a-  -1.2177  0.6242 -0.3769  214.3    -      -  
 06  -31  -1290 May 19  12:46:57  30787 -40688   N   a-  -1.1352  0.7734 -0.2237  233.9    -      -  
 07  -30  -1272 May 29  19:45:21  30431 -40465   N   a-  -1.0535  0.9217 -0.0720  250.4    -      -  
 08  -29  -1254 Jun 10  02:46:55  30077 -40242   P   a-  -0.9732  1.0675  0.0767  264.2   62.8    -  
 09  -28  -1236 Jun 20  09:53:36  29724 -40019   P   a-  -0.8957  1.2086  0.2200  275.7  103.9    -  
 10  -27  -1218 Jul 01  17:05:14  29374 -39796   P   a-  -0.8213  1.3444  0.3575  285.3  129.4    -  

 11  -26  -1200 Jul 12  00:25:01  29026 -39573   P   a-  -0.7525  1.4700  0.4842  292.9  147.2    -  
 12  -25  -1182 Jul 23  07:51:56  28680 -39350   P   a-  -0.6890  1.5862  0.6012  299.0  160.6    -  
 13  -24  -1164 Aug 02  15:27:26  28337 -39127   P   a-  -0.6318  1.6910  0.7062  303.8  170.6    -  
 14  -23  -1146 Aug 13  23:11:41  27995 -38904   P   a-  -0.5811  1.7841  0.7992  307.5  178.1    -  
 15  -22  -1128 Aug 24  07:06:12  27655 -38681   P   a-  -0.5382  1.8630  0.8778  310.2  183.6    -  
 16  -21  -1110 Sep 04  15:09:55  27318 -38458   P   a-  -0.5026  1.9284  0.9428  312.0  187.6    -  
 17  -20  -1092 Sep 14  23:22:40  26982 -38235   P   a-  -0.4740  1.9812  0.9952  313.3  190.4    -  
 18  -19  -1074 Sep 26  07:44:37  26649 -38012   T   a-  -0.4525  2.0207  1.0343  314.0  192.2   27.8
 19  -18  -1056 Oct 06  16:15:04  26317 -37789   T   a-  -0.4375  2.0484  1.0617  314.2  193.3   36.8
 20  -17  -1038 Oct 18  00:52:09  25988 -37566   T   a-  -0.4276  2.0665  1.0799  314.1  193.9   41.6

 21  -16  -1020 Oct 28  09:35:08  25660 -37343   T   a-  -0.4222  2.0763  1.0901  313.8  194.0   44.0
 22  -15  -1002 Nov 08  18:22:14  25335 -37120   T   a-  -0.4197  2.0805  1.0952  313.2  193.9   45.0
 23  -14  -0984 Nov 19  03:12:56  25012 -36897   T   a-  -0.4196  2.0799  1.0959  312.5  193.6   45.1
 24  -13  -0966 Nov 30  12:03:16  24691 -36674   T   p-  -0.4188  2.0804  1.0982  311.9  193.4   45.6
 25  -12  -0948 Dec 10  20:54:20  24372 -36451   T   p-  -0.4183  2.0804  1.1004  311.2  193.3   46.0
 26  -11  -0930 Dec 22  05:41:47  24055 -36228   T   p-  -0.4141  2.0866  1.1094  310.8  193.5   47.8
 27  -10  -0911 Jan 01  14:26:23  23740 -36005   T   p-  -0.4076  2.0969  1.1228  310.4  194.0   50.4
 28  -09  -0893 Jan 12  23:03:50  23428 -35782   T   p-  -0.3948  2.1188  1.1481  310.5  195.0   54.9
 29  -08  -0875 Jan 23  07:36:50  23117 -35559   T   p-  -0.3781  2.1476  1.1805  310.7  196.4   60.0
 30  -07  -0857 Feb 03  16:01:25  22808 -35336   T   p-  -0.3539  2.1901  1.2268  311.3  198.2   66.3

 31  -06  -0839 Feb 14  00:18:53  22502 -35113   T   p-  -0.3237  2.2436  1.2841  312.1  200.4   72.8
 32  -05  -0821 Feb 25  08:27:18  22197 -34890   T   p-  -0.2859  2.3111  1.3553  313.1  202.9   79.4
 33  -04  -0803 Mar 07  16:28:57  21895 -34667   T-  p-  -0.2422  2.3895  1.4372  314.2  205.3   85.5
 34  -03  -0785 Mar 19  00:22:21  21595 -34444   T-  p-  -0.1914  2.4811  1.5320  315.3  207.6   90.9
 35  -02  -0767 Mar 29  08:08:40  21296 -34221   T-  p-  -0.1344  2.5843  1.6379  316.2  209.5   95.3
 36  -01  -0749 Apr 09  15:48:46  21000 -33998   T-  pp  -0.0721  2.6975  1.7534  316.9  210.9   98.2
 37   00  -0731 Apr 19  23:23:47  20706 -33775   T-  pp  -0.0054  2.8189  1.8766  317.1  211.5   99.4
 38   01  -0713 May 01  06:53:55  20414 -33552   T+  pp   0.0653  2.7085  1.7673  316.9  211.2   98.6
 39   02  -0695 May 11  14:21:08  20124 -33329   T+  -p   0.1387  2.5736  1.6328  316.0  209.8   95.4
 40   03  -0677 May 22  21:45:50  19836 -33106   T+  -p   0.2139  2.4358  1.4948  314.4  207.3   89.3


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 39

                          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   04  -0659 Jun 02  05:10:26  19550 -32883   T   -p   0.2890  2.2983  1.3564  312.2  203.5   79.9
 42   05  -0641 Jun 13  12:33:47  19267 -32660   T   -a   0.3649  2.1599  1.2164  309.3  198.4   65.3
 43   06  -0623 Jun 23  20:00:14  18985 -32437   T   -a   0.4377  2.0274  1.0816  305.9  192.2   41.8
 44   07  -0605 Jul 05  03:28:10  18705 -32214   P   -a   0.5086  1.8988  0.9502  301.8  184.7    -  
 45   08  -0587 Jul 15  11:01:32  18428 -31991   P   -a   0.5747  1.7793  0.8272  297.5  176.3    -  
 46   09  -0569 Jul 26  18:38:05  18152 -31768   P   -a   0.6374  1.6662  0.7101  292.8  166.8    -  
 47   10  -0551 Aug 06  02:22:10  17879 -31545   P   -a   0.6933  1.5660  0.6054  288.2  156.9    -  
 48   11  -0533 Aug 17  10:11:30  17608 -31322   P   -a   0.7441  1.4751  0.5098  283.7  146.4    -  
 49   12  -0515 Aug 27  18:08:42  17338 -31099   P   -a   0.7878  1.3974  0.4270  279.5  135.9    -  
 50   13  -0497 Sep 08  02:12:37  17059 -30876   P   -a   0.8256  1.3307  0.3551  275.8  125.5    -  

 51   14  -0479 Sep 18  10:25:09  16741 -30653   P   -a   0.8560  1.2776  0.2968  272.8  116.0    -  
 52   15  -0461 Sep 29  18:44:34  16432 -30430   P   -a   0.8799  1.2363  0.2503  270.6  107.5    -  
 53   16  -0443 Oct 10  03:10:31  16132 -30207   P   -a   0.8982  1.2052  0.2143  269.0  100.2    -  
 54   17  -0425 Oct 21  11:42:52  15840 -29984   P   -a   0.9107  1.1846  0.1890  268.2   94.6    -  
 55   18  -0407 Oct 31  20:20:06  15555 -29761   P   -a   0.9192  1.1713  0.1714  268.0   90.6    -  
 56   19  -0389 Nov 12  05:00:52  15277 -29538   P   -a   0.9241  1.1642  0.1605  268.4   88.0    -  
 57   20  -0371 Nov 22  13:42:59  15007 -29315   P   -a   0.9275  1.1596  0.1526  268.8   86.1    -  
 58   21  -0353 Dec 03  22:25:46  14742 -29092   P   -a   0.9299  1.1566  0.1469  269.5   84.8    -  
 59   22  -0335 Dec 14  07:07:05  14484 -28869   P   -a   0.9331  1.1518  0.1399  269.9   83.0    -  
 60   23  -0317 Dec 25  15:44:46  14232 -28646   P   -a   0.9386  1.1425  0.1288  270.0   80.0    -  

 61   24  -0298 Jan 05  00:17:48  13985 -28423   P   -a   0.9476  1.1266  0.1118  269.4   74.9    -  
 62   25  -0280 Jan 16  08:44:17  13744 -28200   P   -a   0.9613  1.1018  0.0862  268.0   66.2    -  
 63   26  -0262 Jan 26  17:03:07  13508 -27977   P   -a   0.9807  1.0666  0.0505  265.5   51.1    -  
 64   27  -0244 Feb 07  01:12:47  13276 -27754   P   -a   1.0070  1.0185  0.0021  261.6   10.6    -  
 65   28  -0226 Feb 17  09:13:30  13049 -27531   N   -a   1.0399  0.9581 -0.0583  256.2    -      -  
 66   29  -0208 Feb 28  17:04:34  12827 -27308   N   -a   1.0801  0.8843 -0.1322  248.8    -      -  
 67   30  -0190 Mar 11  00:44:45  12609 -27085   N   -a   1.1284  0.7958 -0.2209  239.0    -      -  
 68   31  -0172 Mar 21  08:15:20  12396 -26862   N   -a   1.1835  0.6949 -0.3222  226.4    -      -  
 69   32  -0154 Apr 01  15:36:03  12186 -26639   N   -h   1.2457  0.5812 -0.4365  210.1    -      -  
 70   33  -0136 Apr 11  22:48:55  11980 -26416   N   -h   1.3133  0.4575 -0.5611  189.3    -      -  

 71   34  -0118 Apr 23  05:51:52  11778 -26193   N   -h   1.3877  0.3216 -0.6983  161.4    -      -  
 72   35  -0100 May 03  12:49:33  11579 -25970   N   -h   1.4651  0.1806 -0.8411  123.0    -      -  
 73   36  -0082 May 14  19:40:04  11384 -25747   Ne  -t   1.5465  0.0323 -0.9917   52.9    -      -  


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