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 46 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 -1358 Jul 19. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -0006 Oct 08. The total duration of Saros series 46 is 1352.26 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -1358 Jul 19 11:06:21 TD
Last Eclipse = -0006 Oct 08 12:16:05 TD
Duration of Saros 46 = 1352.26 Years
Saros 46 is composed of 76 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 46 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 76 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 35 | 46.1% |
| Partial | P | 14 | 18.4% |
| Total | T | 27 | 35.5% |
The 76 lunar eclipses in Saros 46 occur in the order of 24N 8P 27T 6P 11N which corresponds to:
24 Penumbral
8 Partial
27 Total
6 Partial
11 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 46 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -0475 Dec 31 Duration = 01h42m32s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -0312 Apr 07 Duration = 00h46m11s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0294 Apr 19 Duration = 03h24m46s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0925 Apr 05 Duration = 01h08m42s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -0186 Jun 22 Duration = 04h49m52s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -1358 Jul 19 Duration = 00h30m18s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 46 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0799 Jun 19 Magnitude = 0.9943
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0925 Apr 05 Magnitude = 0.0989
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 46 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 -41 -1358 Jul 19 11:06:21 32146 -41527 Nb a- 1.5374 0.0127 -0.9395 30.3 - -
02 -40 -1340 Jul 29 18:52:09 31782 -41304 N a- 1.4822 0.1149 -0.8387 90.0 - -
03 -39 -1322 Aug 10 02:45:24 31420 -41081 N a- 1.4326 0.2066 -0.7486 119.7 - -
04 -38 -1304 Aug 20 10:47:39 31060 -40858 N a- 1.3900 0.2858 -0.6715 139.6 - -
05 -37 -1286 Aug 31 18:58:19 30702 -40635 N a- 1.3538 0.3533 -0.6062 154.2 - -
06 -36 -1268 Sep 11 03:17:21 30346 -40412 N a- 1.3245 0.4083 -0.5536 164.9 - -
07 -35 -1250 Sep 22 11:44:45 29993 -40189 N a- 1.3018 0.4511 -0.5131 172.6 - -
08 -34 -1232 Oct 02 20:20:10 29641 -39966 N a- 1.2859 0.4814 -0.4849 177.8 - -
09 -33 -1214 Oct 14 05:02:08 29291 -39743 N a- 1.2751 0.5022 -0.4661 181.2 - -
10 -32 -1196 Oct 24 13:48:42 28944 -39520 N a- 1.2682 0.5157 -0.4543 183.5 - -
11 -31 -1178 Nov 04 22:39:51 28599 -39297 N a- 1.2653 0.5218 -0.4495 184.5 - -
12 -30 -1160 Nov 15 07:33:33 28255 -39074 N a- 1.2650 0.5227 -0.4494 184.7 - -
13 -29 -1142 Nov 26 16:27:42 27914 -38851 N a- 1.2652 0.5225 -0.4500 184.8 - -
14 -28 -1124 Dec 07 01:20:43 27575 -38628 N a- 1.2651 0.5226 -0.4499 184.9 - -
15 -27 -1106 Dec 18 10:11:04 27238 -38405 N a- 1.2633 0.5257 -0.4462 185.5 - -
16 -26 -1088 Dec 28 18:57:52 26903 -38182 N a- 1.2591 0.5331 -0.4380 186.8 - -
17 -25 -1069 Jan 09 03:38:01 26570 -37959 N a- 1.2502 0.5488 -0.4211 189.4 - -
18 -24 -1051 Jan 19 12:12:29 26239 -37736 N a- 1.2372 0.5719 -0.3966 193.1 - -
19 -23 -1033 Jan 30 20:38:31 25910 -37513 N a- 1.2179 0.6066 -0.3604 198.3 - -
20 -22 -1015 Feb 10 04:57:06 25583 -37290 N a- 1.1931 0.6513 -0.3141 204.8 - -
21 -21 -0997 Feb 21 13:05:53 25258 -37067 N a- 1.1607 0.7100 -0.2539 212.9 - -
22 -20 -0979 Mar 03 21:07:10 24936 -36844 N a- 1.1227 0.7790 -0.1837 221.8 - -
23 -19 -0961 Mar 15 04:59:15 24615 -36621 N a- 1.0778 0.8609 -0.1008 231.6 - -
24 -18 -0943 Mar 25 12:42:49 24297 -36398 N a- 1.0264 0.9549 -0.0062 242.0 - -
25 -17 -0925 Apr 05 20:18:45 23980 -36175 P a- 0.9692 1.0599 0.0989 252.7 68.7 -
26 -16 -0907 Apr 16 03:48:01 23666 -35952 P a- 0.9069 1.1743 0.2129 263.3 99.5 -
27 -15 -0889 Apr 27 11:11:42 23354 -35729 P a- 0.8407 1.2963 0.3340 273.7 122.7 -
28 -14 -0871 May 07 18:29:33 23043 -35506 P a- 0.7704 1.4261 0.4623 283.6 142.0 -
29 -13 -0853 May 19 01:44:41 22735 -35283 P a- 0.6983 1.5594 0.5934 292.9 158.1 -
30 -12 -0835 May 29 08:57:01 22429 -35060 P a- 0.6244 1.6965 0.7275 301.5 171.8 -
31 -11 -0817 Jun 09 16:08:08 22125 -34837 P a- 0.5503 1.8342 0.8618 309.2 183.3 -
32 -10 -0799 Jun 19 23:19:23 21823 -34614 P a- 0.4770 1.9708 0.9943 316.1 192.9 -
33 -09 -0781 Jul 01 06:32:38 21524 -34391 T p- 0.4061 2.1033 1.1221 322.1 200.6 52.0
34 -08 -0763 Jul 11 13:49:12 21226 -34168 T p- 0.3386 2.2298 1.2434 327.3 206.8 70.8
35 -07 -0745 Jul 22 21:08:50 20930 -33945 T p- 0.2743 2.3507 1.3586 331.8 211.7 82.6
36 -06 -0727 Aug 02 04:34:53 20637 -33722 T+ pp 0.2160 2.4606 1.4625 335.5 215.4 90.4
37 -05 -0709 Aug 13 12:06:15 20345 -33499 T+ pp 0.1629 2.5613 1.5568 338.7 218.1 95.5
38 -04 -0691 Aug 23 19:45:24 20056 -33276 T+ pp 0.1170 2.6488 1.6379 341.4 220.0 98.7
39 -03 -0673 Sep 04 03:30:04 19768 -33053 T+ pp 0.0765 2.7265 1.7090 343.7 221.4 100.6
40 -02 -0655 Sep 14 11:23:51 19483 -32830 T+ pp 0.0442 2.7890 1.7650 345.8 222.3 101.5
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 -01 -0637 Sep 25 19:23:25 19200 -32607 T+ pp 0.0174 2.8414 1.8110 347.7 223.0 101.9
42 00 -0619 Oct 06 03:30:41 18918 -32384 T- pp -0.0020 2.8727 1.8363 349.4 223.5 102.1
43 01 -0601 Oct 17 11:43:05 18639 -32161 T- pp -0.0164 2.8490 1.8070 351.1 224.0 102.0
44 02 -0583 Oct 27 20:01:50 18362 -31938 T- pp -0.0245 2.8367 1.7896 352.7 224.5 102.0
45 03 -0565 Nov 08 04:22:55 18087 -31715 T- pp -0.0301 2.8287 1.7770 354.2 225.0 102.0
46 04 -0547 Nov 18 12:46:21 17814 -31492 T- pp -0.0330 2.8254 1.7698 355.7 225.5 102.1
47 05 -0529 Nov 29 21:09:48 17544 -31269 T- pp -0.0351 2.8233 1.7645 357.0 226.1 102.2
48 06 -0511 Dec 10 05:32:55 17275 -31046 T- pp -0.0362 2.8225 1.7612 358.3 226.6 102.4
49 07 -0493 Dec 21 13:51:29 16983 -30823 T- pp -0.0406 2.8154 1.7522 359.5 227.1 102.5
50 08 -0475 Dec 31 22:06:02 16667 -30600 T- pp -0.0475 2.8033 1.7388 360.6 227.7 102.5
51 09 -0456 Jan 12 06:13:11 16360 -30377 T- pp -0.0598 2.7810 1.7159 361.5 228.1 102.4
52 10 -0438 Jan 22 14:13:58 16062 -30154 T- pp -0.0767 2.7500 1.6848 362.4 228.5 102.1
53 11 -0420 Feb 02 22:03:43 15771 -29931 T- pp -0.1017 2.7041 1.6392 363.0 228.6 101.2
54 12 -0402 Feb 13 05:45:30 15488 -29708 T- pp -0.1325 2.6474 1.5829 363.4 228.3 99.6
55 13 -0384 Feb 24 13:15:13 15212 -29485 T- pp -0.1724 2.5737 1.5099 363.3 227.5 96.6
56 14 -0366 Mar 06 20:36:11 14943 -29262 T- -p -0.2188 2.4881 1.4252 362.8 225.9 91.6
57 15 -0348 Mar 17 03:44:43 14680 -29039 T -p -0.2746 2.3855 1.3233 361.5 223.2 83.4
58 16 -0330 Mar 28 10:45:05 14424 -28816 T -t -0.3363 2.2720 1.2104 359.4 219.1 70.2
59 17 -0312 Apr 07 17:34:51 14173 -28593 T -t -0.4057 2.1444 1.0833 356.3 213.1 46.2
60 18 -0294 Apr 19 00:16:45 13927 -28370 P -t -0.4807 2.0065 0.9456 351.8 204.8 -
61 19 -0276 Apr 29 06:51:03 13687 -28147 P -t -0.5612 1.8589 0.7978 345.9 193.5 -
62 20 -0258 May 10 13:20:17 13452 -27924 P -t -0.6452 1.7050 0.6435 338.4 178.8 -
63 21 -0240 May 20 19:45:32 13222 -27701 P -t -0.7317 1.5469 0.4845 329.1 159.4 -
64 22 -0222 Jun 01 02:07:33 12996 -27478 P -t -0.8199 1.3856 0.3219 317.9 133.4 -
65 23 -0204 Jun 11 08:29:19 12775 -27255 P -t -0.9078 1.2252 0.1598 304.9 96.4 -
66 24 -0186 Jun 22 14:51:38 12558 -27032 Nx -t -0.9948 1.0666 -0.0008 289.9 - -
67 25 -0168 Jul 02 21:16:27 12346 -26809 N -t -1.0790 0.9132 -0.1566 273.0 - -
68 26 -0150 Jul 14 03:45:01 12137 -26586 N -t -1.1597 0.7666 -0.3059 254.2 - -
69 27 -0132 Jul 24 10:19:56 11932 -26363 N -t -1.2348 0.6303 -0.4452 233.9 - -
70 28 -0114 Aug 04 17:01:44 11731 -26140 N -t -1.3040 0.5048 -0.5739 212.1 - -
71 29 -0096 Aug 14 23:50:54 11532 -25917 N -t -1.3671 0.3908 -0.6912 188.8 - -
72 30 -0078 Aug 26 06:49:10 11338 -25694 N -t -1.4225 0.2907 -0.7945 164.4 - -
73 31 -0060 Sep 05 13:56:45 11146 -25471 N -t -1.4701 0.2050 -0.8835 139.2 - -
74 32 -0042 Sep 16 21:14:06 10957 -25248 N -t -1.5100 0.1333 -0.9582 113.0 - -
75 33 -0024 Sep 27 04:40:15 10771 -25025 N -t -1.5428 0.0746 -1.0197 85.0 - -
76 34 -0006 Oct 08 12:16:05 10587 -24802 N -t -1.5681 0.0294 -1.0672 53.6 - -
[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)"
