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 138 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 1521 Oct 15. The series will end with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on 2982 Mar 30. The total duration of Saros series 138 is 1460.44 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 1521 Oct 15 23:41:27 TD
Last Eclipse = 2982 Mar 30 17:33:19 TD
Duration of Saros 138 = 1460.44 Years
Saros 138 is composed of 82 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 138 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 82 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 43 | 52.4% |
| Partial | P | 13 | 15.9% |
| Total | T | 26 | 31.7% |
The 82 lunar eclipses in Saros 138 occur in the order of 22N 7P 26T 6P 21N which corresponds to:
22 Penumbral
7 Partial
26 Total
6 Partial
21 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 138 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: 2369 Mar 24 Duration = 01h45m24s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: 2495 Jun 08 Duration = 00h12m52s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2513 Jun 19 Duration = 03h20m03s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2603 Aug 13 Duration = 01h06m33s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 2621 Aug 24 Duration = 04h41m08s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 2982 Mar 30 Duration = 00h37m34s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 138 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2026 Aug 28 Magnitude = 0.9299
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 2603 Aug 13 Magnitude = 0.0746
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 138 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 -47 1521 Oct 15 23:41:27 174 -5915 N a- 1.5291 0.0386 -0.9345 53.1 - -
02 -46 1539 Oct 27 08:11:00 158 -5692 N a- 1.5126 0.0709 -0.9063 71.9 - -
03 -45 1557 Nov 06 16:45:01 144 -5469 N a- 1.5003 0.0955 -0.8857 83.5 - -
04 -44 1575 Nov 18 01:25:13 131 -5246 N a- 1.4936 0.1097 -0.8751 89.6 - -
05 -43 1593 Dec 08 10:08:29 121 -5023 N a- 1.4899 0.1180 -0.8701 93.1 - -
06 -42 1611 Dec 19 18:54:22 105 -4800 N a- 1.4891 0.1208 -0.8700 94.4 - -
07 -41 1629 Dec 30 03:40:31 79 -4577 N a- 1.4892 0.1219 -0.8713 95.0 - -
08 -40 1648 Jan 10 12:26:15 52 -4354 N a- 1.4897 0.1219 -0.8730 95.3 - -
09 -39 1666 Jan 20 21:09:12 28 -4131 N a- 1.4886 0.1246 -0.8717 96.6 - -
10 -38 1684 Feb 01 05:47:50 12 -3908 N a- 1.4849 0.1319 -0.8653 99.6 - -
11 -37 1702 Feb 12 14:21:25 8 -3685 N a- 1.4778 0.1451 -0.8527 104.6 - -
12 -36 1720 Feb 23 22:48:32 10 -3462 N a- 1.4666 0.1659 -0.8322 111.9 - -
13 -35 1738 Mar 06 07:07:15 11 -3239 N a- 1.4492 0.1978 -0.8003 122.2 - -
14 -34 1756 Mar 16 15:17:47 14 -3016 N a- 1.4259 0.2406 -0.7575 134.6 - -
15 -33 1774 Mar 27 23:19:02 16 -2793 N a- 1.3960 0.2955 -0.7026 148.9 - -
16 -32 1792 Apr 07 07:12:01 16 -2570 N a- 1.3602 0.3611 -0.6370 164.1 - -
17 -31 1810 Apr 19 14:54:06 12 -2347 N a- 1.3165 0.4414 -0.5570 180.6 - -
18 -30 1828 Apr 29 22:28:38 8 -2124 N h- 1.2674 0.5318 -0.4671 197.2 - -
19 -29 1846 May 11 05:53:43 6 -1901 N h- 1.2111 0.6355 -0.3643 214.2 - -
20 -28 1864 May 21 13:12:02 6 -1678 N h- 1.1502 0.7480 -0.2531 230.6 - -
21 -27 1882 Jun 01 20:21:58 -5 -1455 N t- 1.0832 0.8717 -0.1311 246.8 - -
22 -26 1900 Jun 13 03:27:37 -2 -1232 Nx t- 1.0134 1.0010 -0.0040 261.9 - -
23 -25 1918 Jun 24 10:28:03 20 -1009 P t- 0.9397 1.1376 0.1297 276.3 82.4 -
24 -24 1936 Jul 04 17:25:23 24 -786 P t- 0.8642 1.2778 0.2668 289.5 116.3 -
25 -23 1954 Jul 16 00:20:51 31 -563 P t- 0.7876 1.4202 0.4054 301.6 140.9 -
26 -22 1972 Jul 26 07:16:22 43 -340 P t- 0.7116 1.5618 0.5427 312.4 160.1 -
27 -21 1990 Aug 06 14:13:16 57 -117 P t- 0.6374 1.7005 0.6766 322.0 175.5 -
28 -20 2008 Aug 16 21:11:12 66 106 P t- 0.5646 1.8366 0.8076 330.5 188.1 -
29 -19 2026 Aug 28 04:14:04 75 329 P t- 0.4964 1.9645 0.9299 337.8 198.1 -
30 -18 2044 Sep 07 11:20:44 88 552 T t- 0.4318 2.0860 1.0456 344.0 206.2 33.9
31 -17 2062 Sep 18 18:34:02 119 775 T p- 0.3735 2.1959 1.1496 349.3 212.4 59.5
32 -16 2080 Sep 29 01:52:42 158 998 T p- 0.3203 2.2967 1.2443 353.7 217.4 73.8
33 -15 2098 Oct 10 09:19:58 200 1221 T pp 0.2749 2.3831 1.3246 357.4 221.0 82.7
34 -14 2116 Oct 21 16:53:39 243 1444 T+ pp 0.2353 2.4586 1.3943 360.5 223.8 88.8
35 -13 2134 Nov 02 00:34:20 288 1667 T+ pp 0.2022 2.5222 1.4521 363.1 225.9 93.0
36 -12 2152 Nov 12 08:21:47 334 1890 T+ pp 0.1753 2.5743 1.4989 365.4 227.5 95.8
37 -11 2170 Nov 23 16:16:21 373 2113 T+ pp 0.1554 2.6134 1.5331 367.2 228.6 97.7
38 -10 2188 Dec 04 00:15:39 415 2336 T+ pp 0.1394 2.6448 1.5602 368.8 229.5 98.9
39 -09 2206 Dec 16 08:19:07 458 2559 T+ pp 0.1275 2.6685 1.5802 370.2 230.3 99.8
40 -08 2224 Dec 26 16:25:17 504 2782 T+ pp 0.1183 2.6868 1.5956 371.5 230.9 100.5
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 -07 2243 Jan 07 00:33:44 552 3005 T+ pp 0.1116 2.7004 1.6069 372.5 231.4 101.0
42 -06 2261 Jan 17 08:40:06 601 3228 T+ pp 0.1036 2.7157 1.6208 373.4 231.9 101.5
43 -05 2279 Jan 28 16:45:42 653 3451 T+ pp 0.0954 2.7312 1.6355 374.2 232.5 102.1
44 -04 2297 Feb 08 00:46:04 707 3674 T+ pp 0.0832 2.7535 1.6578 374.9 233.1 102.8
45 -03 2315 Feb 20 08:42:48 763 3897 T+ pp 0.0684 2.7804 1.6853 375.4 233.6 103.6
46 -02 2333 Mar 02 16:30:27 821 4120 T+ pp 0.0466 2.8198 1.7259 375.9 234.3 104.5
47 -01 2351 Mar 14 00:12:41 881 4343 T+ pp 0.0207 2.8665 1.7744 376.3 234.8 105.1
48 00 2369 Mar 24 07:44:15 943 4566 T- pp -0.0135 2.8786 1.7885 376.4 235.1 105.4
49 01 2387 Apr 04 15:07:51 1007 4789 T- pp -0.0541 2.8029 1.7153 376.2 235.0 104.9
50 02 2405 Apr 14 22:20:34 1074 5012 T- pp -0.1033 2.7113 1.6262 375.5 234.3 103.0
51 03 2423 Apr 26 05:25:45 1142 5235 T- pp -0.1585 2.6086 1.5262 374.3 232.8 99.1
52 04 2441 May 06 12:21:25 1212 5458 T- pp -0.2213 2.4921 1.4123 372.3 230.0 92.2
53 05 2459 May 17 19:09:13 1285 5681 T pt -0.2904 2.3641 1.2869 369.4 225.7 80.8
54 06 2477 May 28 01:49:59 1359 5904 T -t -0.3652 2.2255 1.1507 365.3 219.6 61.5
55 07 2495 Jun 08 08:25:20 1436 6127 T -t -0.4447 2.0787 1.0060 360.0 211.2 12.9
56 08 2513 Jun 19 14:55:56 1515 6350 P -t -0.5279 1.9251 0.8543 353.2 200.0 -
57 09 2531 Jun 30 21:23:33 1596 6573 P -t -0.6134 1.7673 0.6981 344.9 185.7 -
58 10 2549 Jul 11 03:50:12 1678 6796 P -t -0.7000 1.6079 0.5398 335.1 167.5 -
59 11 2567 Jul 22 10:17:26 1763 7019 P -t -0.7862 1.4493 0.3821 323.8 144.4 -
60 12 2585 Aug 01 16:45:35 1850 7242 P -t -0.8717 1.2920 0.2253 310.8 113.3 -
61 13 2603 Aug 13 23:17:51 1940 7465 P -t -0.9539 1.1412 0.0746 296.6 66.6 -
62 14 2621 Aug 24 05:54:22 2031 7688 N -t -1.0327 0.9968 -0.0701 281.1 - -
63 15 2639 Sep 04 12:37:54 2124 7911 N -t -1.1060 0.8625 -0.2049 264.8 - -
64 16 2657 Sep 14 19:26:58 2219 8134 N -t -1.1750 0.7364 -0.3318 247.4 - -
65 17 2675 Sep 26 02:25:48 2317 8357 N -t -1.2363 0.6242 -0.4449 229.9 - -
66 18 2693 Oct 06 09:32:29 2416 8580 N -t -1.2917 0.5232 -0.5469 212.2 - -
67 19 2711 Oct 18 16:49:35 2518 8803 N -t -1.3388 0.4372 -0.6339 195.2 - -
68 20 2729 Oct 29 00:15:40 2621 9026 N -t -1.3791 0.3637 -0.7084 178.9 - -
69 21 2747 Nov 09 07:52:28 2727 9249 N -t -1.4115 0.3048 -0.7681 164.4 - -
70 22 2765 Nov 19 15:38:17 2835 9472 N -t -1.4371 0.2580 -0.8155 151.5 - -
71 23 2783 Nov 30 23:32:00 2944 9695 N -t -1.4570 0.2215 -0.8521 140.6 - -
72 24 2801 Dec 11 07:34:19 3056 9918 N -t -1.4707 0.1962 -0.8771 132.3 - -
73 25 2819 Dec 22 15:42:44 3170 10141 N -t -1.4797 0.1794 -0.8931 126.3 - -
74 26 2838 Jan 01 23:56:51 3286 10364 N -t -1.4851 0.1687 -0.9024 122.3 - -
75 27 2856 Jan 13 08:12:54 3404 10587 N -t -1.4895 0.1596 -0.9093 118.7 - -
76 28 2874 Jan 23 16:32:19 3524 10810 N -t -1.4918 0.1541 -0.9122 116.3 - -
77 29 2892 Feb 04 00:50:55 3647 11033 N -t -1.4950 0.1464 -0.9164 113.1 - -
78 30 2910 Feb 15 09:08:12 3771 11256 N -t -1.4998 0.1355 -0.9233 108.5 - -
79 31 2928 Feb 26 17:21:42 3897 11479 N -t -1.5081 0.1181 -0.9361 101.0 - -
80 32 2946 Mar 09 01:31:32 4026 11702 N -t -1.5198 0.0938 -0.9552 89.9 - -
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 33 2964 Mar 19 09:35:34 4156 11925 N -t -1.5366 0.0602 -0.9832 71.9 - -
82 34 2982 Mar 30 17:33:19 4289 12148 Ne -t -1.5589 0.0164 -1.0211 37.6 - -
[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)"
