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 38 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 -1391 Apr 27. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on -0111 Jun 03. The total duration of Saros series 38 is 1280.14 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = -1391 Apr 27 00:54:47 TD
Last Eclipse = -0111 Jun 03 08:35:04 TD
Duration of Saros 38 = 1280.14 Years
Saros 38 is composed of 72 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 38 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 72 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 16 | 22.2% |
| Partial | P | 42 | 58.3% |
| Total | T | 14 | 19.4% |
The 72 lunar eclipses in Saros 38 occur in the order of 7N 19P 14T 23P 9N which corresponds to:
7 Penumbral
19 Partial
14 Total
23 Partial
9 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 38 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: -0778 Apr 29 Duration = 01h44m24s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: -0922 Feb 01 Duration = 00h15m17s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0940 Jan 22 Duration = 03h24m55s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0273 Feb 26 Duration = 00h41m24s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -1283 Jun 30 Duration = 04h44m24s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: -0111 Jun 03 Duration = 00h44m51s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 38 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0940 Jan 22 Magnitude = 0.9538
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: -0273 Feb 26 Magnitude = 0.0357
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 38 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 -34 -1391 Apr 27 00:54:47 32822 -41938 N t- 1.5130 0.1101 -0.9462 100.8 - -
02 -33 -1373 May 08 07:20:23 32454 -41715 N t- 1.4334 0.2567 -0.8008 152.3 - -
03 -32 -1355 May 18 13:43:17 32089 -41492 N t- 1.3517 0.4076 -0.6516 189.7 - -
04 -31 -1337 May 29 20:04:21 31725 -41269 N t- 1.2682 0.5618 -0.4994 220.0 - -
05 -30 -1319 Jun 09 02:25:36 31363 -41046 N t- 1.1848 0.7161 -0.3475 245.2 - -
06 -29 -1301 Jun 20 08:48:24 31004 -40823 N t- 1.1024 0.8685 -0.1978 266.5 - -
07 -28 -1283 Jun 30 15:15:26 30646 -40600 Nx t- 1.0232 1.0155 -0.0540 284.4 - -
08 -27 -1265 Jul 11 21:47:47 30291 -40377 P t- 0.9479 1.1553 0.0824 299.4 70.1 -
09 -26 -1247 Jul 22 04:25:54 29937 -40154 P t- 0.8770 1.2873 0.2108 312.1 110.2 -
10 -25 -1229 Aug 02 11:11:57 29586 -39931 P t- 0.8123 1.4080 0.3276 322.5 135.1 -
11 -24 -1211 Aug 12 18:06:30 29237 -39708 P t- 0.7542 1.5165 0.4323 331.0 152.7 -
12 -23 -1193 Aug 24 01:10:38 28890 -39485 P t- 0.7036 1.6112 0.5233 337.8 165.7 -
13 -22 -1175 Sep 03 08:23:28 28545 -39262 P t- 0.6599 1.6932 0.6016 343.2 175.4 -
14 -21 -1157 Sep 14 15:46:36 28202 -39039 P t- 0.6243 1.7603 0.6654 347.4 182.5 -
15 -20 -1139 Sep 24 23:18:52 27861 -38816 P t- 0.5958 1.8140 0.7161 350.4 187.6 -
16 -19 -1121 Oct 06 06:59:26 27522 -38593 P t- 0.5741 1.8550 0.7548 352.6 191.2 -
17 -18 -1103 Oct 16 14:47:56 27185 -38370 P t- 0.5586 1.8844 0.7823 354.1 193.6 -
18 -17 -1085 Oct 27 22:42:29 26850 -38147 P t- 0.5479 1.9047 0.8015 354.9 195.1 -
19 -16 -1067 Nov 07 06:42:34 26517 -37924 P t- 0.5412 1.9171 0.8136 355.2 196.0 -
20 -15 -1049 Nov 18 14:44:07 26187 -37701 P t- 0.5354 1.9275 0.8245 355.3 196.7 -
21 -14 -1031 Nov 28 22:48:45 25858 -37478 P t- 0.5317 1.9337 0.8320 355.0 197.1 -
22 -13 -1013 Dec 10 06:51:51 25532 -37255 P t- 0.5268 1.9415 0.8419 354.7 197.7 -
23 -12 -0995 Dec 20 14:53:25 25208 -37032 P t- 0.5198 1.9529 0.8563 354.4 198.6 -
24 -11 -0977 Dec 31 22:49:31 24885 -36809 P t- 0.5079 1.9728 0.8799 354.4 200.2 -
25 -10 -0958 Jan 11 06:41:45 24565 -36586 P t- 0.4923 1.9992 0.9107 354.5 202.2 -
26 -09 -0940 Jan 22 14:26:36 24247 -36363 P t- 0.4702 2.0374 0.9538 354.9 204.9 -
27 -08 -0922 Feb 01 22:04:15 23931 -36140 T t- 0.4417 2.0870 1.0088 355.5 208.2 15.3
28 -07 -0904 Feb 13 05:33:26 23617 -35917 T t- 0.4057 2.1501 1.0776 356.4 211.9 44.4
29 -06 -0886 Feb 23 12:55:06 23305 -35694 T t- 0.3627 2.2259 1.1594 357.4 215.9 61.9
30 -05 -0868 Mar 05 20:08:07 22995 -35471 T t- 0.3121 2.3158 1.2553 358.4 219.8 75.7
31 -04 -0850 Mar 17 03:13:47 22687 -35248 T+ p- 0.2547 2.4181 1.3636 359.2 223.4 86.7
32 -03 -0832 Mar 27 10:12:34 22381 -35025 T+ pp 0.1907 2.5325 1.4839 359.6 226.3 95.2
33 -02 -0814 Apr 07 17:06:23 22078 -34802 T+ pp 0.1220 2.6558 1.6129 359.5 228.3 101.0
34 -01 -0796 Apr 17 23:54:11 21776 -34579 T+ pp 0.0472 2.7904 1.7528 358.7 229.2 104.2
35 00 -0778 Apr 29 06:40:16 21477 -34356 T- pp -0.0299 2.8195 1.7868 357.1 228.8 104.4
36 01 -0760 May 09 13:23:29 21179 -34133 T- pp -0.1107 2.6690 1.6409 354.6 226.9 101.4
37 02 -0742 May 20 20:08:29 20884 -33910 T- pp -0.1908 2.5199 1.4959 351.2 223.5 95.0
38 03 -0724 May 31 02:52:11 20591 -33687 T pp -0.2731 2.3672 1.3467 346.8 218.5 84.0
39 04 -0706 Jun 11 09:41:03 20299 -33464 T -p -0.3522 2.2205 1.2030 341.7 212.0 67.4
40 05 -0688 Jun 21 16:32:27 20010 -33241 T -t -0.4305 2.0756 1.0606 335.7 204.0 38.4
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 06 -0670 Jul 02 23:30:55 19723 -33018 P -t -0.5038 1.9401 0.9271 329.2 194.8 -
42 07 -0652 Jul 13 06:34:33 19438 -32795 P -t -0.5737 1.8110 0.7995 322.1 184.4 -
43 08 -0634 Jul 24 13:47:57 19155 -32572 P -t -0.6366 1.6950 0.6846 315.1 173.4 -
44 09 -0616 Aug 03 21:09:18 18874 -32349 P -h -0.6939 1.5896 0.5798 308.0 161.7 -
45 10 -0598 Aug 15 04:40:06 18596 -32126 P -h -0.7444 1.4967 0.4874 301.1 149.9 -
46 11 -0580 Aug 25 12:20:21 18319 -31903 P -a -0.7879 1.4167 0.4076 294.7 138.3 -
47 12 -0562 Sep 05 20:11:14 18044 -31680 P -a -0.8234 1.3516 0.3425 289.1 127.7 -
48 13 -0544 Sep 16 04:11:56 17772 -31457 P -a -0.8519 1.2993 0.2902 284.2 118.0 -
49 14 -0526 Sep 27 12:21:37 17501 -31234 P -a -0.8738 1.2590 0.2501 280.2 109.9 -
50 15 -0508 Oct 07 20:40:46 17233 -31011 P -a -0.8890 1.2311 0.2224 277.1 103.7 -
51 16 -0490 Oct 19 05:07:52 16933 -30788 P -a -0.8984 1.2134 0.2054 274.8 99.6 -
52 17 -0472 Oct 29 13:41:34 16618 -30565 P -a -0.9033 1.2040 0.1970 273.2 97.4 -
53 18 -0454 Nov 09 22:20:25 16313 -30342 P -a -0.9047 1.2008 0.1951 272.1 96.7 -
54 19 -0436 Nov 20 07:03:11 16016 -30119 P -a -0.9037 1.2016 0.1979 271.4 97.1 -
55 20 -0418 Dec 01 15:47:52 15726 -29896 P -a -0.9018 1.2039 0.2026 270.7 98.0 -
56 21 -0400 Dec 12 00:32:05 15445 -29673 P -a -0.9010 1.2038 0.2055 269.9 98.4 -
57 22 -0382 Dec 23 09:15:28 15170 -29450 P -a -0.9014 1.2013 0.2064 268.8 98.4 -
58 23 -0363 Jan 02 17:55:51 14902 -29227 P -a -0.9045 1.1936 0.2026 267.3 97.3 -
59 24 -0345 Jan 14 02:31:12 14640 -29004 P -a -0.9126 1.1767 0.1901 265.1 94.2 -
60 25 -0327 Jan 24 11:00:41 14384 -28781 P -a -0.9259 1.1500 0.1680 262.0 88.7 -
61 26 -0309 Feb 04 19:23:44 14134 -28558 P -a -0.9448 1.1128 0.1356 258.0 79.9 -
62 27 -0291 Feb 15 03:40:08 13889 -28335 P -a -0.9696 1.0648 0.0925 252.9 66.3 -
63 28 -0273 Feb 26 11:47:47 13650 -28112 P -a -1.0019 1.0030 0.0357 246.4 41.4 -
64 29 -0255 Mar 08 19:49:00 13416 -27889 N -a -1.0400 0.9309 -0.0318 238.5 - -
65 30 -0237 Mar 20 03:42:06 13186 -27666 N -a -1.0853 0.8453 -0.1128 228.7 - -
66 31 -0219 Mar 30 11:29:13 12961 -27443 N -a -1.1359 0.7504 -0.2035 217.1 - -
67 32 -0201 Apr 10 19:08:52 12741 -27220 N -a -1.1929 0.6439 -0.3062 202.8 - -
68 33 -0183 Apr 21 02:44:46 12525 -26997 N -a -1.2534 0.5313 -0.4156 185.9 - -
69 34 -0165 May 02 10:15:39 12313 -26774 N -a -1.3184 0.4107 -0.5335 165.1 - -
70 35 -0147 May 12 17:43:38 12105 -26551 N -a -1.3860 0.2855 -0.6566 139.1 - -
71 36 -0129 May 24 01:09:34 11900 -26328 N -a -1.4555 0.1573 -0.7834 104.4 - -
72 37 -0111 Jun 03 08:35:04 11699 -26105 Ne -a -1.5255 0.0284 -0.9116 44.8 - -
[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)"
