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 3 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 -2567 Dec 30. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -1214 Mar 21. The total duration of Saros series 3 is 1352.26 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -2567 Dec 30 13:47:17 TD
Last Eclipse = -1214 Mar 21 19:36:06 TD
Duration of Saros 3 = 1352.26 Years
Saros 3 is composed of 76 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 3 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 76 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 32 | 42.1% |
| Partial | P | 15 | 19.7% |
| Total | T | 29 | 38.2% |
The 76 lunar eclipses in Saros 3 occur in the order of 11N 8P 29T 7P 21N which corresponds to:
11 Penumbral
8 Partial
29 Total
7 Partial
21 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 3 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1827 Mar 19 Duration = 01h41m54s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1719 May 23 Duration = 00h22m19s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -1701 Jun 03 Duration = 03h10m48s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2368 Apr 28 Duration = 00h51m10s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -1575 Aug 17 Duration = 04h36m42s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -2567 Dec 30 Duration = 00h29m24s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 3 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2242 Jul 13 Magnitude = 0.9495
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -2368 Apr 28 Magnitude = 0.0559
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 3 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 -2567 Dec 30 13:47:17 61274 -56475 N a- -1.5469 0.0115 -0.9727 29.4 - -
02 -40 -2548 Jan 10 22:13:11 60771 -56252 N a- -1.5279 0.0440 -0.9353 57.0 - -
03 -39 -2530 Jan 21 06:30:04 60270 -56029 N a- -1.5012 0.0904 -0.8839 81.2 - -
04 -38 -2512 Feb 01 14:41:00 59771 -55806 N a- -1.4695 0.1460 -0.8232 102.3 - -
05 -37 -2494 Feb 11 22:43:03 59275 -55583 N a- -1.4301 0.2158 -0.7484 123.3 - -
06 -36 -2476 Feb 23 06:37:19 58780 -55360 N a- -1.3841 0.2978 -0.6616 143.3 - -
07 -35 -2458 Mar 05 14:23:51 58287 -55137 N a- -1.3315 0.3920 -0.5630 162.6 - -
08 -34 -2440 Mar 15 22:04:16 57797 -54914 N a- -1.2736 0.4962 -0.4547 180.7 - -
09 -33 -2422 Mar 27 05:38:32 57308 -54691 N a- -1.2103 0.6105 -0.3368 197.8 - -
10 -32 -2404 Apr 06 13:07:52 56822 -54468 N a- -1.1424 0.7337 -0.2107 213.8 - -
11 -31 -2386 Apr 17 20:33:46 56338 -54245 N a- -1.0713 0.8630 -0.0791 228.5 - -
12 -30 -2368 Apr 28 03:57:40 55856 -54022 P a- -0.9982 0.9963 0.0559 241.8 51.2 -
13 -29 -2350 May 09 11:19:14 55375 -53799 P a- -0.9229 1.1340 0.1945 253.9 93.6 -
14 -28 -2332 May 19 18:41:43 54897 -53576 P a- -0.8479 1.2715 0.3323 264.6 119.9 -
15 -27 -2314 May 31 02:04:55 54421 -53353 P a- -0.7736 1.4080 0.4683 274.1 139.5 -
16 -26 -2296 Jun 10 09:31:51 53947 -53130 P a- -0.7021 1.5398 0.5989 282.2 154.6 -
17 -25 -2278 Jun 21 17:00:53 53476 -52907 P a- -0.6325 1.6684 0.7257 289.3 166.7 -
18 -24 -2260 Jul 02 00:36:24 53006 -52684 P a- -0.5686 1.7870 0.8419 295.1 176.2 -
19 -23 -2242 Jul 13 08:16:46 52538 -52461 P a- -0.5091 1.8976 0.9495 300.1 183.7 -
20 -22 -2224 Jul 23 16:04:39 52072 -52238 T a- -0.4560 1.9967 1.0452 304.2 189.5 31.3
21 -21 -2206 Aug 03 23:58:28 51609 -52015 T p- -0.4083 2.0862 1.1308 307.7 194.1 52.0
22 -20 -2188 Aug 14 08:01:22 51147 -51792 T p- -0.3686 2.1611 1.2017 310.5 197.5 63.1
23 -19 -2170 Aug 25 16:11:26 50688 -51569 T p- -0.3355 2.2241 1.2604 312.9 200.0 70.4
24 -18 -2152 Sep 05 00:29:28 50230 -51346 T p- -0.3094 2.2740 1.3061 314.8 201.9 75.1
25 -17 -2134 Sep 16 08:55:10 49775 -51123 T p- -0.2901 2.3117 1.3395 316.4 203.3 78.2
26 -16 -2116 Sep 26 17:28:25 49322 -50900 T p- -0.2772 2.3373 1.3611 317.8 204.2 80.1
27 -15 -2098 Oct 08 02:07:47 48871 -50677 T- p- -0.2700 2.3524 1.3724 318.9 204.8 81.1
28 -14 -2080 Oct 18 10:51:08 48422 -50454 T- p- -0.2665 2.3606 1.3773 319.9 205.3 81.5
29 -13 -2062 Oct 29 19:38:44 47975 -50231 T- p- -0.2670 2.3612 1.3749 320.8 205.5 81.4
30 -12 -2044 Nov 09 04:28:03 47530 -50008 T- p- -0.2690 2.3586 1.3699 321.6 205.7 81.1
31 -11 -2026 Nov 20 13:17:31 47087 -49785 T- p- -0.2717 2.3546 1.3640 322.3 205.9 80.8
32 -10 -2008 Nov 30 22:04:57 46646 -49562 T p- -0.2731 2.3529 1.3608 323.1 206.2 80.7
33 -09 -1990 Dec 12 06:49:16 46207 -49339 T- p- -0.2724 2.3547 1.3616 323.9 206.7 80.9
34 -08 -1972 Dec 22 15:28:24 45771 -49116 T- p- -0.2679 2.3631 1.3695 324.9 207.4 81.7
35 -07 -1953 Jan 03 00:00:33 45336 -48893 T- p- -0.2583 2.3808 1.3870 326.1 208.5 83.3
36 -06 -1935 Jan 13 08:25:06 44904 -48670 T- p- -0.2430 2.4090 1.4153 327.5 209.9 85.6
37 -05 -1917 Jan 24 16:41:03 44473 -48447 T- p- -0.2209 2.4493 1.4557 329.1 211.6 88.5
38 -04 -1899 Feb 04 00:46:57 44045 -48224 T- p- -0.1913 2.5035 1.5102 330.9 213.5 91.9
39 -03 -1881 Feb 15 08:43:08 43618 -48001 T- pp -0.1543 2.5713 1.5782 332.8 215.6 95.3
40 -02 -1863 Feb 25 16:29:24 43194 -47778 T- pp -0.1098 2.6529 1.6599 334.6 217.5 98.4
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 -1845 Mar 09 00:06:45 42772 -47555 T- pp -0.0584 2.7475 1.7542 336.4 219.1 100.8
42 00 -1827 Mar 19 07:33:04 42352 -47332 T+ pp 0.0014 2.8523 1.8585 337.8 220.2 101.9
43 01 -1809 Mar 30 14:52:26 41934 -47109 T+ pp 0.0662 2.7340 1.7391 338.8 220.5 101.2
44 02 -1791 Apr 09 22:02:55 41518 -46886 T+ pp 0.1373 2.6041 1.6078 339.1 219.6 98.0
45 03 -1773 Apr 21 05:08:26 41104 -46663 T+ -p 0.2119 2.4683 1.4700 338.7 217.5 91.6
46 04 -1755 May 01 12:06:30 40692 -46440 T -a 0.2916 2.3232 1.3224 337.3 213.7 80.5
47 05 -1737 May 12 19:02:34 40283 -46217 T -a 0.3720 2.1773 1.1734 334.9 208.2 62.3
48 06 -1719 May 23 01:54:21 39875 -45994 T -a 0.4546 2.0277 1.0201 331.5 200.6 22.3
49 07 -1701 Jun 03 08:45:28 39469 -45771 P -h 0.5364 1.8796 0.8678 327.0 190.8 -
50 08 -1683 Jun 13 15:35:47 39066 -45548 P -h 0.6178 1.7327 0.7160 321.5 178.5 -
51 09 -1665 Jun 24 22:28:52 38665 -45325 P -h 0.6954 1.5929 0.5710 315.1 163.8 -
52 10 -1647 Jul 05 05:24:22 38265 -45102 P -h 0.7699 1.4592 0.4316 307.9 146.0 -
53 11 -1629 Jul 16 12:24:08 37868 -44879 P -h 0.8394 1.3346 0.3010 300.2 124.8 -
54 12 -1611 Jul 26 19:29:34 37473 -44656 P -h 0.9030 1.2211 0.1812 292.2 98.8 -
55 13 -1593 Aug 07 02:41:53 37080 -44433 P -h 0.9597 1.1204 0.0740 284.3 64.3 -
56 14 -1575 Aug 17 10:01:01 36689 -44210 Nx -h 1.0099 1.0315 -0.0215 276.7 - -
57 15 -1557 Aug 28 17:28:02 36300 -43987 N -h 1.0527 0.9563 -0.1032 269.7 - -
58 16 -1539 Sep 08 01:03:10 35913 -43764 N -h 1.0880 0.8947 -0.1710 263.7 - -
59 17 -1521 Sep 19 08:46:32 35528 -43541 N -h 1.1156 0.8470 -0.2246 258.9 - -
60 18 -1503 Sep 29 16:36:00 35145 -43318 N -h 1.1375 0.8097 -0.2675 255.0 - -
61 19 -1485 Oct 11 00:33:19 34764 -43095 N -h 1.1523 0.7849 -0.2973 252.6 - -
62 20 -1467 Oct 21 08:35:15 34386 -42872 N -h 1.1629 0.7677 -0.3188 251.1 - -
63 21 -1449 Nov 01 16:41:48 34009 -42649 N -t 1.1690 0.7584 -0.3317 250.5 - -
64 22 -1431 Nov 12 00:48:37 33635 -42426 N -t 1.1741 0.7505 -0.3425 250.0 - -
65 23 -1413 Nov 23 08:57:24 33262 -42203 N -t 1.1770 0.7461 -0.3489 250.0 - -
66 24 -1395 Dec 03 17:03:38 32892 -41980 N -t 1.1817 0.7382 -0.3580 249.4 - -
67 25 -1377 Dec 15 01:06:57 32524 -41757 N -t 1.1880 0.7268 -0.3698 248.1 - -
68 26 -1359 Dec 25 09:04:12 32157 -41534 N -t 1.1988 0.7069 -0.3894 245.5 - -
69 27 -1340 Jan 05 16:55:33 31793 -41311 N -t 1.2138 0.6788 -0.4165 241.5 - -
70 28 -1322 Jan 16 00:38:28 31431 -41088 N -t 1.2351 0.6388 -0.4548 235.4 - -
71 29 -1304 Jan 27 08:12:26 31071 -40865 N -t 1.2633 0.5860 -0.5056 226.7 - -
72 30 -1286 Feb 06 15:36:47 30713 -40642 N -t 1.2990 0.5194 -0.5698 214.9 - -
73 31 -1268 Feb 17 22:51:28 30357 -40419 N -t 1.3419 0.4393 -0.6471 199.1 - -
74 32 -1250 Feb 28 05:55:40 30004 -40196 N -t 1.3927 0.3445 -0.7390 177.9 - -
75 33 -1232 Mar 10 12:50:32 29652 -39973 N -t 1.4505 0.2370 -0.8436 149.0 - -
76 34 -1214 Mar 21 19:36:06 29302 -39750 N -t 1.5151 0.1170 -0.9608 105.7 - -
[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)"
