Eclipses of the Sun can only occur during the New Moon phase. It is then possible for the Moon's penumbral, umbral or antumbral shadows to sweep across Earth's surface thereby producing an eclipse. Not all New Moons result in a solar eclipse because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees to Earth's about the Sun. Consequently, the Moon's shadows miss Earth at most New Moon's. Nevertheless, there are 2 to 5 solar eclipses every calendar year. There are four types of solar eclipses: partial, annular, total and hybrid[1]. For more information, see Basic Solar Eclipse Geometry.
During the 10 century period 0001 to 1000 ( 1 CE to 1000 CE[2]), Earth experienced 2351 solar eclipses. The following table shows the number of eclipses of each type over this period.
| Solar Eclipses: 0001 - 1000 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 2351 | 100.0% |
| Partial | P | 816 | 34.7% |
| Annular | A | 809 | 34.4% |
| Total | T | 652 | 27.7% |
| Hybrid | H | 74 | 3.1% |
Annular and total eclipses can be further classified as either: 1) Central (two limits), 2) Central (one limit) or 3) Non-Central (one limit). The statistical distribution of these classes during the 10th century CE appears in the following three tables (no Hybrids are included since all are central with two limits).
| Annular and Total Eclipses | ||
| Classification | Number | Percent |
| All | 1461 | 100.0% |
| Central (two limits) | 1420 | 97.2% |
| Central (one limit) | 19 | 1.3% |
| Non-Central (one limit) | 22 | 1.5% |
| Annular Eclipses | ||
| Classification | Number | Percent |
| All Annular Eclipses | 809 | 100.0% |
| Central (two limits) | 777 | 96.0% |
| Central (one limit) | 15 | 1.9% |
| Non-Central (one limit) | 17 | 2.1% |
| Total Eclipses | ||
| Classification | Number | Percent |
| All Total Eclipses | 652 | 100.0% |
| Central (two limits) | 643 | 98.6% |
| Central (one limit) | 4 | 0.6% |
| Non-Central (one limit) | 5 | 0.8% |
The longest central[3] solar eclipses of this period are:
Longest Total Solar Eclipse: 0363 Jun 27 Duration = 07m24s
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse: 0150 Dec 07 Duration = 12m23s
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse: 0508 Sep 11 Duration = 01m45s
Long Annular Solar Eclipses are relatively rare. The following catalog lists concise details and local circumstances for all Annular Solar Eclipses with durations exceeding 09m 00s. The Key to Catalog of Solar Eclipses contains a detailed description and explanation of each item listed in the catalog. For eclipses from -1999 to +3000, the Catalog Number in the first column serves as a link to a global map of Earth showing the geographic visibility of each eclipse. The date and time of the eclipse are given at the instant of greatest eclipse[4] in Terrestrial Dynamical Time. The Saros Number in the sixth column links to a table listing all eclipses in the Saros series. The Key to Solar Eclipse Maps explains the features plotted on each map.
The data presented here are based in part on the Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000.
TD of
Catalog Calendar Greatest Luna Saros Ecl. Ecl. Sun Sun Path Central
Number Date Eclipse ΔT Num Num Type Gamma Mag. Lat. Long. Alt Azm Width Dur.
s ° ° ° ° km
04924 0060 Oct 13 09:05:51 9843 -23985 83 A 0.6134 0.9196 28.9N 93.3E 52 199 381 09m47s
04968 0078 Oct 24 16:51:28 9665 -23762 83 A 0.5957 0.9175 24.0N 26.2W 53 196 386 10m35s
05013 0096 Nov 04 00:44:00 9489 -23539 83 A 0.5836 0.9159 19.8N 147.1W 54 193 392 11m18s
05058 0114 Nov 15 08:41:03 9313 -23316 83 A 0.5746 0.9149 16.3N 91.1E 55 189 395 11m53s
05102 0132 Nov 25 16:42:02 9139 -23093 83 A 0.5691 0.9144 13.6N 31.5W 55 185 396 12m16s
05146 0150 Dec 07 00:43:01 8965 -22870 83 A 0.5630 0.9147 11.6N 154.0W 56 181 393 12m23s
05188 0168 Dec 17 08:45:18 8792 -22647 83 A 0.5579 0.9156 10.3N 83.3E 56 176 387 12m14s
05228 0186 Dec 28 16:44:33 8620 -22424 83 A 0.5496 0.9173 9.6N 38.6W 57 172 375 11m49s
05269 0205 Jan 08 00:40:31 8449 -22201 83 A 0.5386 0.9196 9.4N 159.5W 57 167 359 11m09s
05310 0223 Jan 19 08:29:58 8278 -21978 83 A 0.5218 0.9226 9.6N 81.4E 58 163 339 10m21s
05351 0241 Jan 29 16:13:53 8108 -21755 83 A 0.5002 0.9261 10.2N 36.2W 60 159 317 09m27s
05503 0308 Nov 30 02:16:27 7469 -20916 76 A 0.3664 0.9284 1.1S 179.5W 69 194 288 09m37s
05505 0309 Nov 19 01:28:42 7460 -20904 86 A -0.3133 0.9181 37.1S 178.7E 72 22 327 09m08s
05542 0326 Dec 11 10:23:28 7300 -20693 76 A 0.3724 0.9267 1.7S 57.7E 68 189 296 10m11s
05544 0327 Nov 30 09:29:55 7291 -20681 86 A -0.3063 0.9183 39.3S 60.2E 72 18 326 09m12s
05582 0344 Dec 21 18:30:19 7131 -20470 76 A 0.3783 0.9258 1.5S 65.2W 68 185 302 10m34s
05584 0345 Dec 10 17:32:53 7121 -20458 86 A -0.3003 0.9191 40.6S 58.2W 72 12 322 09m13s
05622 0363 Jan 02 02:32:58 6961 -20247 76 A 0.3870 0.9254 0.3S 173.0E 67 180 305 10m44s
05624 0363 Dec 22 01:35:17 6952 -20235 86 A -0.2937 0.9207 40.8S 176.2W 73 6 315 09m08s
05663 0381 Jan 12 10:30:55 6791 -20024 76 A 0.3991 0.9256 1.9N 52.1E 66 176 305 10m40s
05699 0396 Sep 18 19:53:40 6643 -19830 89 A 0.1792 0.9297 11.2N 89.1W 80 198 267 09m07s
05704 0399 Jan 23 18:21:42 6621 -19801 76 A 0.4165 0.9263 5.2N 67.3W 65 172 304 10m25s
05740 0414 Sep 30 03:19:02 6473 -19607 89 A 0.1434 0.9274 4.9N 157.3E 82 198 275 09m35s
05746 0417 Feb 03 02:05:28 6451 -19578 76 A 0.4393 0.9274 9.4N 174.6E 64 169 302 09m59s
05781 0432 Oct 10 10:53:48 6302 -19384 89 A 0.1154 0.9254 1.0S 41.6E 83 197 283 10m00s
05787 0435 Feb 14 09:39:34 6280 -19355 76 A 0.4697 0.9289 14.5N 58.6E 62 166 300 09m26s
05821 0450 Oct 21 18:37:15 6131 -19161 89 A 0.0940 0.9238 6.2S 75.8W 85 195 289 10m20s
05863 0468 Nov 01 02:27:24 5959 -18938 89 A 0.0780 0.9227 10.8S 165.4E 86 193 293 10m34s
05906 0486 Nov 12 10:24:14 5786 -18715 89 A 0.0672 0.9221 14.6S 45.4E 86 189 295 10m43s
05950 0504 Nov 22 18:25:08 5613 -18492 89 A 0.0592 0.9222 17.6S 75.1W 87 186 295 10m42s
05994 0522 Dec 04 02:29:54 5438 -18269 89 A 0.0543 0.9229 19.7S 163.8E 87 181 292 10m32s
06039 0540 Dec 14 10:34:02 5263 -18046 89 A 0.0482 0.9243 20.9S 43.1E 87 176 286 10m10s
06086 0558 Dec 25 18:39:21 5085 -17823 89 A 0.0427 0.9263 21.2S 77.8W 88 171 278 09m41s
06132 0577 Jan 05 02:41:04 4905 -17600 89 A 0.0334 0.9290 20.7S 162.2E 88 166 266 09m03s
06279 0635 Nov 15 17:34:25 4391 -16872 101 A 0.6828 0.9283 23.4N 62.4W 47 188 367 09m12s
06325 0653 Nov 26 01:41:15 4239 -16649 101 A 0.6779 0.9257 21.1N 173.0E 47 184 380 09m51s
06349 0662 Nov 16 20:23:11 4150 -16538 82 A 0.8650 0.9153 37.2N 90.9W 30 202 630 09m37s
06351 0663 Nov 05 19:27:43 4140 -16526 92 A 0.1826 0.9265 7.1S 94.2W 80 202 281 09m12s
06372 0671 Dec 07 09:48:18 4059 -16426 101 A 0.6733 0.9238 19.4N 48.3E 48 179 389 10m18s
06395 0680 Nov 27 04:24:53 3970 -16315 82 A 0.8734 0.9133 37.3N 144.4E 29 197 673 10m08s
06397 0681 Nov 16 03:27:16 3960 -16303 92 A 0.1936 0.9264 9.2S 145.3E 79 198 282 09m29s
06417 0689 Dec 17 17:56:06 3880 -16203 101 A 0.6698 0.9225 18.4N 76.4W 48 175 394 10m31s
06439 0698 Dec 08 12:28:45 3790 -16092 82 A 0.8799 0.9120 37.8N 19.0E 28 192 707 10m28s
06441 0699 Nov 27 11:32:43 3781 -16080 92 A 0.2003 0.9270 10.7S 23.4E 79 194 280 09m40s
06461 0707 Dec 29 02:00:34 3716 -15980 101 A 0.6636 0.9219 17.9N 159.8E 48 170 392 10m30s
06482 0716 Dec 18 20:30:55 3644 -15869 82 A 0.8874 0.9112 39.0N 106.1W 27 186 740 10m35s
06484 0717 Dec 07 19:39:54 3637 -15857 92 A 0.2059 0.9282 11.6S 98.6W 78 190 275 09m43s
06503 0726 Jan 08 10:02:27 3572 -15757 101 A 0.6558 0.9219 18.0N 36.8E 49 165 387 10m16s
06525 0734 Dec 30 04:32:13 3501 -15646 82 A 0.8952 0.9112 40.9N 128.9E 26 181 768 10m28s
06527 0735 Dec 19 03:48:27 3493 -15634 92 A 0.2107 0.9301 11.6S 139.0E 78 185 268 09m35s
TD of
Catalog Calendar Greatest Luna Saros Ecl. Ecl. Sun Sun Path Central
Number Date Eclipse ΔT Num Num Type Gamma Mag. Lat. Long. Alt Azm Width Dur.
s ° ° ° ° km
06545 0744 Jan 19 17:56:37 3429 -15534 101 A 0.6418 0.9227 18.4N 84.0W 50 161 375 09m52s
06567 0753 Jan 09 12:29:12 3357 -15423 82 A 0.9060 0.9116 43.6N 4.5E 25 175 805 10m07s
06569 0753 Dec 29 11:55:43 3349 -15411 92 A 0.2170 0.9326 10.6S 16.9E 78 181 258 09m16s
06587 0762 Jan 30 01:45:52 3285 -15311 101 A 0.6242 0.9239 19.2N 156.6E 51 157 360 09m22s
06608 0771 Jan 20 20:20:40 3213 -15200 82 A 0.9210 0.9125 47.5N 119.2W 22 169 863 09m32s
07059 0971 Oct 22 04:16:15 1757 -12717 107 A 0.2171 0.9295 0.6S 122.5E 77 194 270 09m32s
07099 0989 Nov 01 12:05:28 1649 -12494 107 A 0.1989 0.9261 5.1S 4.0E 79 191 283 10m14s
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.
[1] Hybrid eclipses are also known as annular/total eclipses. Such an eclipse is both total and annular along different sections of its umbral path. (See: Five Millennium Catalog of Hybrid Solar Eclipses)
[2] The terms BCE and CE are abbreviations for "Before Common Era" and "Common Era," respectively. They are the secular equivalents to the BC and AD dating conventions. (See: Year Dating Conventions )
[3] Central solar eclipses are eclipses in which the central axis of the Moon's shadow strikes the Earth's surface. All partial (penumbral) eclipses are non-central eclipses since the shadow axis misses Earth. However, umbral eclipses (total, annular and hybrid) may be either central (usually) or non-central (rarely).
[4] Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to the Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is virtually identical to the instants of greatest magnitude and greatest duration. However, for annular eclipses, the instant of greatest duration may occur at either the time of greatest eclipse or near the sunrise and sunset points of the eclipse path.
Special thanks to Dan McGlaun for extracting the individual eclipse maps from the Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 for use in this catalog.
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 Solar 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)"
