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 27 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 -1926 Jul 28. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on -0411 Jan 23. The total duration of Saros series 27 is 1514.53 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -1926 Jul 28 21:01:47 TD
Last Eclipse = -0411 Jan 23 17:44:41 TD
Duration of Saros 27 = 1514.53 Years
Saros 27 is composed of 85 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 27 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 85 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 42 | 49.4% |
| Partial | P | 14 | 16.5% |
| Total | T | 29 | 34.1% |
The 85 lunar eclipses in Saros 27 occur in the order of 22N 7P 29T 7P 20N which corresponds to:
22 Penumbral
7 Partial
29 Total
7 Partial
20 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 27 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1259 Sep 02 Duration = 01h38m37s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -1403 Jun 07 Duration = 00h32m25s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0880 Apr 17 Duration = 03h11m35s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -1529 Mar 24 Duration = 01h10m53s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -0754 Jul 02 Duration = 04h16m29s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -0411 Jan 23 Duration = 00h10m58s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 27 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0880 Apr 17 Magnitude = 0.9793
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -1529 Mar 24 Magnitude = 0.1056
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 27 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 -37 -1926 Jul 28 21:01:47 44676 -48552 N h- -1.5162 0.0912 -0.9392 88.1 - -
02 -36 -1908 Aug 08 04:26:05 44246 -48329 N h- -1.4624 0.1897 -0.8405 125.6 - -
03 -35 -1890 Aug 19 12:02:13 43819 -48106 N a- -1.4170 0.2730 -0.7572 149.0 - -
04 -34 -1872 Aug 29 19:47:20 43394 -47883 N a- -1.3779 0.3447 -0.6854 165.8 - -
05 -33 -1854 Sep 10 03:44:40 42971 -47660 N a- -1.3479 0.3999 -0.6302 177.1 - -
06 -32 -1836 Sep 20 11:50:44 42550 -47437 N a- -1.3239 0.4437 -0.5861 185.1 - -
07 -31 -1818 Oct 01 20:06:36 42131 -47214 N a- -1.3070 0.4744 -0.5547 190.3 - -
08 -30 -1800 Oct 12 04:29:49 41714 -46991 N a- -1.2952 0.4956 -0.5326 193.4 - -
09 -29 -1782 Oct 23 13:00:22 41299 -46768 N a- -1.2883 0.5075 -0.5192 194.8 - -
10 -28 -1764 Nov 02 21:35:07 40886 -46545 N a- -1.2844 0.5136 -0.5110 195.2 - -
11 -27 -1746 Nov 14 06:12:38 40475 -46322 N a- -1.2819 0.5169 -0.5051 195.1 - -
12 -26 -1728 Nov 24 14:51:35 40067 -46099 N a- -1.2799 0.5188 -0.5000 194.7 - -
13 -25 -1710 Dec 05 23:30:18 39660 -45876 N a- -1.2769 0.5225 -0.4925 194.6 - -
14 -24 -1692 Dec 16 08:05:51 39256 -45653 N a- -1.2709 0.5314 -0.4793 195.4 - -
15 -23 -1674 Dec 27 16:37:29 38853 -45430 N a- -1.2611 0.5468 -0.4590 197.1 - -
16 -22 -1655 Jan 07 01:03:37 38453 -45207 N a- -1.2463 0.5714 -0.4293 200.2 - -
17 -21 -1637 Jan 18 09:24:17 38055 -44984 N a- -1.2265 0.6049 -0.3901 204.6 - -
18 -20 -1619 Jan 28 17:36:29 37659 -44761 N a- -1.1991 0.6524 -0.3369 210.6 - -
19 -19 -1601 Feb 09 01:42:32 37264 -44538 N a- -1.1660 0.7102 -0.2733 217.6 - -
20 -18 -1583 Feb 19 09:40:01 36872 -44315 N a- -1.1252 0.7822 -0.1956 225.9 - -
21 -17 -1565 Mar 02 17:31:06 36482 -44092 N a- -1.0785 0.8649 -0.1073 234.6 - -
22 -16 -1547 Mar 13 01:14:08 36095 -43869 N a- -1.0244 0.9616 -0.0053 244.0 - -
23 -15 -1529 Mar 24 08:51:59 35709 -43646 P a- -0.9653 1.0675 0.1056 253.4 70.9 -
24 -14 -1511 Apr 03 16:24:01 35325 -43423 P a- -0.9005 1.1841 0.2266 262.6 101.9 -
25 -13 -1493 Apr 14 23:51:16 34943 -43200 P a- -0.8311 1.3094 0.3559 271.4 125.1 -
26 -12 -1475 Apr 25 07:15:31 34564 -42977 P a- -0.7586 1.4408 0.4906 279.6 143.7 -
27 -11 -1457 May 06 14:37:31 34186 -42754 P a- -0.6839 1.5766 0.6291 287.1 158.9 -
28 -10 -1439 May 16 21:59:12 33811 -42531 P a- -0.6081 1.7146 0.7691 293.6 171.5 -
29 -09 -1421 May 28 05:20:02 33437 -42308 P a- -0.5314 1.8547 0.9105 299.4 181.9 -
30 -08 -1403 Jun 07 12:43:32 33066 -42085 T a- -0.4566 1.9917 1.0481 304.1 190.2 32.4
31 -07 -1385 Jun 18 20:08:59 32697 -41862 T a- -0.3833 2.1261 1.1825 308.1 196.7 60.6
32 -06 -1367 Jun 29 03:39:02 32330 -41639 T p- -0.3138 2.2541 1.3098 311.2 201.7 75.6
33 -05 -1349 Jul 10 11:13:14 31964 -41416 T- p- -0.2475 2.3764 1.4308 313.6 205.4 85.3
34 -04 -1331 Jul 20 18:54:52 31601 -41193 T- p- -0.1873 2.4877 1.5403 315.3 207.8 91.4
35 -03 -1313 Aug 01 02:42:53 31240 -40970 T- p- -0.1327 2.5891 1.6394 316.6 209.5 95.2
36 -02 -1295 Aug 11 10:38:41 30882 -40747 T- p- -0.0846 2.6788 1.7264 317.4 210.4 97.4
37 -01 -1277 Aug 22 18:42:30 30525 -40524 T- pp -0.0432 2.7563 1.8009 318.0 210.8 98.4
38 00 -1259 Sep 02 02:54:58 30170 -40301 T- pp -0.0090 2.8206 1.8621 318.5 210.9 98.6
39 01 -1241 Sep 13 11:15:28 29817 -40078 T+ pp 0.0184 2.8049 1.8431 318.8 210.8 98.4
40 02 -1223 Sep 23 19:43:32 29467 -39855 T+ pp 0.0394 2.7681 1.8030 319.2 210.7 98.1
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 03 -1205 Oct 05 04:18:52 29118 -39632 T+ -p 0.0540 2.7427 1.7747 319.6 210.6 97.7
42 04 -1187 Oct 15 13:00:51 28772 -39409 T+ -p 0.0631 2.7275 1.7566 320.0 210.5 97.4
43 05 -1169 Oct 26 21:47:06 28427 -39186 T+ -p 0.0685 2.7189 1.7456 320.4 210.5 97.2
44 06 -1151 Nov 06 06:37:51 28085 -38963 T+ -p 0.0699 2.7174 1.7419 320.9 210.6 97.2
45 07 -1133 Nov 17 15:29:41 27745 -38740 T+ -p 0.0703 2.7174 1.7403 321.4 210.8 97.2
46 08 -1115 Nov 28 00:22:52 27407 -38517 T+ -p 0.0691 2.7203 1.7420 321.9 211.1 97.3
47 09 -1097 Dec 09 09:12:59 27071 -38294 T+ -p 0.0703 2.7184 1.7394 322.4 211.3 97.4
48 10 -1079 Dec 19 18:01:52 26737 -38071 T+ -p 0.0722 2.7150 1.7358 322.9 211.6 97.4
49 11 -1061 Dec 31 02:45:04 26405 -37848 T+ -p 0.0790 2.7025 1.7234 323.4 211.8 97.4
50 12 -1042 Jan 10 11:23:11 26075 -37625 T+ -p 0.0895 2.6831 1.7044 323.8 212.0 97.2
51 13 -1024 Jan 21 19:52:46 25747 -37402 T+ -p 0.1068 2.6508 1.6728 324.1 212.1 96.6
52 14 -1006 Feb 01 04:15:41 25421 -37179 T+ -p 0.1294 2.6091 1.6319 324.4 212.1 95.6
53 15 -0988 Feb 12 12:29:23 25097 -36956 T+ -p 0.1595 2.5533 1.5769 324.4 211.6 93.9
54 16 -0970 Feb 22 20:33:56 24776 -36733 T+ -p 0.1968 2.4845 1.5089 324.2 210.8 90.9
55 17 -0952 Mar 05 04:29:10 24456 -36510 T+ -p 0.2415 2.4022 1.4271 323.7 209.3 86.3
56 18 -0934 Mar 16 12:15:44 24139 -36287 T -p 0.2928 2.3080 1.3332 322.6 206.9 79.1
57 19 -0916 Mar 26 19:53:20 23824 -36064 T -a 0.3509 2.2014 1.2264 320.9 203.4 67.8
58 20 -0898 Apr 07 03:22:41 23510 -35841 T -a 0.4154 2.0833 1.1078 318.4 198.4 48.7
59 21 -0880 Apr 17 10:44:38 23199 -35618 P -a 0.4852 1.9558 0.9793 315.0 191.6 -
60 22 -0862 Apr 28 18:01:01 22890 -35395 P -a 0.5586 1.8219 0.8438 310.5 182.7 -
61 23 -0844 May 09 01:10:54 22583 -35172 P -a 0.6365 1.6801 0.6998 304.8 171.0 -
62 24 -0826 May 20 08:18:06 22278 -34949 P -a 0.7155 1.5365 0.5534 297.8 156.2 -
63 25 -0808 May 30 15:21:54 21975 -34726 P -a 0.7960 1.3905 0.4040 289.5 137.1 -
64 26 -0790 Jun 10 22:26:02 21674 -34503 P -a 0.8754 1.2469 0.2564 279.9 112.0 -
65 27 -0772 Jun 21 05:28:20 21375 -34280 P -a 0.9550 1.1032 0.1081 268.7 74.5 -
66 28 -0754 Jul 02 12:34:03 21078 -34057 N -a 1.0305 0.9671 -0.0330 256.5 - -
67 29 -0736 Jul 12 19:41:25 20784 -33834 N -a 1.1034 0.8363 -0.1695 242.9 - -
68 30 -0718 Jul 24 02:54:06 20491 -33611 N -a 1.1708 0.7156 -0.2961 228.6 - -
69 31 -0700 Aug 03 10:10:45 20201 -33388 N -a 1.2339 0.6030 -0.4151 213.2 - -
70 32 -0682 Aug 14 17:35:11 19912 -33165 N -a 1.2896 0.5041 -0.5205 197.8 - -
71 33 -0664 Aug 25 01:05:56 19626 -32942 N -a 1.3389 0.4170 -0.6143 182.3 - -
72 34 -0646 Sep 05 08:43:37 19342 -32719 N -a 1.3815 0.3422 -0.6957 167.0 - -
73 35 -0628 Sep 15 16:28:54 19059 -32496 N -a 1.4169 0.2804 -0.7641 152.8 - -
74 36 -0610 Sep 27 00:21:36 18779 -32273 N -a 1.4456 0.2310 -0.8197 139.9 - -
75 37 -0592 Oct 07 08:21:24 18501 -32050 N -a 1.4675 0.1938 -0.8629 129.2 - -
76 38 -0574 Oct 18 16:26:07 18225 -31827 N -a 1.4846 0.1652 -0.8969 120.0 - -
77 39 -0556 Oct 29 00:36:46 17951 -31604 N -a 1.4960 0.1467 -0.9203 113.7 - -
78 40 -0538 Nov 09 08:50:28 17679 -31381 N -a 1.5044 0.1334 -0.9379 109.0 - -
79 41 -0520 Nov 19 17:06:24 17409 -31158 N -h 1.5102 0.1245 -0.9503 105.7 - -
80 42 -0502 Dec 01 01:22:09 17142 -30935 N -h 1.5157 0.1159 -0.9617 102.4 - -
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
81 43 -0484 Dec 11 09:36:53 16825 -30712 N -h 1.5213 0.1066 -0.9731 98.6 - -
82 44 -0466 Dec 22 17:47:51 16513 -30489 N -h 1.5294 0.0925 -0.9884 92.2 - -
83 45 -0447 Jan 02 01:53:37 16211 -30266 N -t 1.5410 0.0714 -1.0101 81.3 - -
84 46 -0429 Jan 13 09:52:55 15916 -30043 N -t 1.5573 0.0416 -1.0400 62.4 - -
85 47 -0411 Jan 23 17:44:41 15630 -29820 Ne -t 1.5791 0.0013 -1.0798 11.0 - -
[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)"
