Catalog of Lunar Eclipse Saros Series

Saros Series 60

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 60 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 -0700 Mar 08. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on 0598 Apr 27. The total duration of Saros series 60 is 1298.17 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse = -0700 Mar 08   09:55:49 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  0598 Apr 27   01:46:02 TD

                      Duration of Saros  60  =  1298.17 Years

Saros 60 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:

Lunar Eclipses of Saros 60
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 73100.0%
PenumbralN 27 37.0%
PartialP 19 26.0%
TotalT 27 37.0%

The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 60 occur in the order of 8N 8P 27T 11P 19N which corresponds to:

                                     8  Penumbral
                                     8  Partial
                                    27  Total
                                    11  Partial
                                    19  Penumbral

The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 60 are as follows.

            Longest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -0051 Apr 01      Duration = 01h39m44s
           Shortest  Total  Lunar Eclipse:   -0412 Aug 28      Duration = 00h43m25s

            Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse:   -0430 Aug 17      Duration = 03h17m54s
           Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    0255 Oct 03      Duration = 00h35m06s

          Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0574 May 23      Duration = 04h24m15s
         Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse:   -0700 Mar 08      Duration = 00h22m57s

The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 60 are:

            Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    0075 Jun 17      Magnitude = 0.9933
           Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse:    0255 Oct 03      Magnitude = 0.0260

Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 60 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.



Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 60

                          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  -36  -0700 Mar 08  09:55:49  20207 -33393   Nb  t-   1.5726  0.0056 -1.0603   22.9    -      -  
 02  -35  -0682 Mar 19  16:58:18  19919 -33170   N   t-   1.5137  0.1108 -0.9494  100.6    -      -  
 03  -34  -0664 Mar 29  23:53:46  19632 -32947   N   t-   1.4481  0.2283 -0.8262  142.4    -      -  
 04  -33  -0646 Apr 10  06:44:20  19348 -32724   N   t-   1.3774  0.3553 -0.6939  174.9    -      -  
 05  -32  -0628 Apr 20  13:28:34  19066 -32501   N   t-   1.3005  0.4938 -0.5502  202.7    -      -  
 06  -31  -0610 May 01  20:11:15  18785 -32278   N   t-   1.2210  0.6374 -0.4020  226.2    -      -  
 07  -30  -0592 May 12  02:50:56  18507 -32055   N   t-   1.1376  0.7883 -0.2468  246.8    -      -  
 08  -29  -0574 May 23  09:31:34  18231 -31832   N   t-   1.0537  0.9402 -0.0910  264.2    -      -  
 09  -28  -0556 Jun 02  16:11:56  17957 -31609   P   t-   0.9684  1.0951  0.0672  279.4   61.1    -  
 10  -27  -0538 Jun 13  22:57:11  17685 -31386   P   t-   0.8855  1.2457  0.2207  291.9  108.0    -  

 11  -26  -0520 Jun 24  05:45:32  17416 -31163   P   t-   0.8039  1.3943  0.3716  302.5  136.6    -  
 12  -25  -0502 Jul 05  12:39:56  17148 -30940   P   h-   0.7258  1.5367  0.5159  311.1  156.8    -  
 13  -24  -0484 Jul 15  19:40:47  16832 -30717   P   h-   0.6518  1.6716  0.6523  318.0  171.9    -  
 14  -23  -0466 Jul 27  02:50:32  16520 -30494   P   a-   0.5839  1.7959  0.7775  323.3  183.2    -  
 15  -22  -0448 Aug 06  10:09:03  16217 -30271   P   a-   0.5220  1.9090  0.8913  327.3  191.6    -  
 16  -21  -0430 Aug 17  17:37:02  15923 -30048   P   a-   0.4667  2.0103  0.9929  330.3  197.9    -  
 17  -20  -0412 Aug 28  01:15:33  15636 -29825   T   a-   0.4191  2.0976  1.0804  332.3  202.4   43.4
 18  -19  -0394 Sep 08  09:04:29  15356 -29602   T   a-   0.3790  2.1711  1.1541  333.5  205.5   58.5
 19  -18  -0376 Sep 18  17:02:50  15084 -29379   T   a-   0.3460  2.2316  1.2147  334.1  207.7   67.5
 20  -17  -0358 Sep 30  01:11:14  14818 -29156   T   p-   0.3205  2.2783  1.2616  334.3  209.0   73.1

 21  -16  -0340 Oct 10  09:28:13  14558 -28933   T   p-   0.3013  2.3133  1.2970  334.1  209.7   76.7
 22  -15  -0322 Oct 21  17:53:48  14304 -28710   T   p-   0.2885  2.3364  1.3208  333.5  210.0   78.8
 23  -14  -0304 Nov 01  02:24:23  14055 -28487   T   p-   0.2792  2.3529  1.3384  332.8  210.0   80.2
 24  -13  -0286 Nov 12  11:01:41  13813 -28264   T   p-   0.2749  2.3599  1.3471  331.9  209.7   80.8
 25  -12  -0268 Nov 22  19:41:38  13575 -28041   T   p-   0.2727  2.3630  1.3523  330.9  209.4   81.0
 26  -11  -0250 Dec 04  04:24:15  13342 -27818   T+  p-   0.2717  2.3635  1.3555  329.7  209.0   81.1
 27  -10  -0232 Dec 14  13:05:15  13114 -27595   T+  p-   0.2689  2.3671  1.3622  328.7  208.7   81.6
 28  -09  -0214 Dec 25  21:46:18  12891 -27372   T+  p-   0.2655  2.3713  1.3702  327.6  208.5   82.1
 29  -08  -0195 Jan 05  06:23:26  12672 -27149   T+  p-   0.2585  2.3821  1.3852  326.6  208.5   83.1
 30  -07  -0177 Jan 16  14:56:27  12457 -26926   T+  p-   0.2475  2.4000  1.4077  325.8  208.8   84.7

 31  -06  -0159 Jan 26  23:23:16  12246 -26703   T+  p-   0.2309  2.4279  1.4405  325.1  209.3   86.8
 32  -05  -0141 Feb 07  07:44:19  12039 -26480   T+  p-   0.2087  2.4660  1.4837  324.5  210.0   89.4
 33  -04  -0123 Feb 17  15:57:45  11836 -26257   T+  p-   0.1799  2.5164  1.5393  324.0  210.9   92.2
 34  -03  -0105 Mar 01  00:03:51  11636 -26034   T+  p-   0.1444  2.5788  1.6069  323.6  211.8   95.0
 35  -02  -0087 Mar 11  08:02:33  11440 -25811   T+  p-   0.1023  2.6535  1.6867  323.2  212.6   97.4
 36  -01  -0069 Mar 22  15:54:42  11246 -25588   T+  pp   0.0542  2.7392  1.7773  322.6  213.1   99.1
 37   00  -0051 Apr 01  23:38:59  11056 -25365   T-  pp  -0.0009  2.8348  1.8774  321.8  213.2   99.7
 38   01  -0033 Apr 13  07:18:16  10868 -25142   T-  pp  -0.0607  2.7230  1.7696  320.6  212.6   98.9
 39   02  -0015 Apr 23  14:51:41  10683 -24919   T-  pp  -0.1259  2.6016  1.6518  318.9  211.1   96.3
 40   03   0003 May 04  22:22:05  10501 -24696   T-  -p  -0.1939  2.4752  1.5284  316.7  208.7   91.3


Catalog of Lunar Eclipses in Saros 60

                          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   04   0021 May 15  05:47:44  10320 -24473   T-  -p  -0.2664  2.3411  1.3967  313.8  205.1   83.2
 42   05   0039 May 26  13:13:25  10141 -24250   T   -p  -0.3391  2.2067  1.2641  310.3  200.2   71.0
 43   06   0057 Jun 05  20:37:27   9964 -24027   T   -a  -0.4139  2.0689  1.1273  306.0  194.0   51.4
 44   07   0075 Jun 17  04:03:28   9789 -23804   P   -a  -0.4871  1.9344  0.9933  301.1  186.5    -  
 45   08   0093 Jun 27  11:30:09   9615 -23581   P   -a  -0.5600  1.8008  0.8593  295.5  177.5    -  
 46   09   0111 Jul 08  19:01:45   9442 -23358   P   -a  -0.6290  1.6747  0.7323  289.6  167.3    -  
 47   10   0129 Jul 19  02:36:35   9270 -23135   P   -a  -0.6956  1.5533  0.6093  283.1  155.6    -  
 48   11   0147 Jul 30  10:16:55   9098 -22912   P   -a  -0.7577  1.4404  0.4944  276.5  142.7    -  
 49   12   0165 Aug 09  18:03:16   8927 -22689   P   -a  -0.8148  1.3370  0.3883  269.8  128.5    -  
 50   13   0183 Aug 21  01:56:50   8756 -22466   P   -a  -0.8658  1.2449  0.2933  263.3  113.3    -  

 51   14   0201 Aug 31  09:58:02   8585 -22243   P   -a  -0.9106  1.1644  0.2095  257.3   96.9    -  
 52   15   0219 Sep 11  18:06:04   8414 -22020   P   -a  -0.9496  1.0945  0.1361  251.7   78.9    -  
 53   16   0237 Sep 22  02:22:53   8242 -21797   P   -a  -0.9814  1.0381  0.0760  247.0   59.5    -  
 54   17   0255 Oct 03  10:46:26   8071 -21574   P   -a  -1.0076  0.9917  0.0260  243.0   35.1    -  
 55   18   0273 Oct 13  19:17:34   7898 -21351   N   -a  -1.0274  0.9571 -0.0121  240.0    -      -  
 56   19   0291 Oct 25  03:54:20   7725 -21128   N   -a  -1.0426  0.9310 -0.0416  237.8    -      -  
 57   20   0309 Nov 04  12:37:24   7551 -20905   N   -a  -1.0526  0.9141 -0.0615  236.5    -      -  
 58   21   0327 Nov 15  21:23:53   7376 -20682   N   -a  -1.0597  0.9024 -0.0759  235.7    -      -  
 59   22   0345 Nov 26  06:13:23   7200 -20459   N   -a  -1.0644  0.8951 -0.0855  235.4    -      -  
 60   23   0363 Dec 07  15:03:53   7023 -20236   N   -a  -1.0680  0.8893 -0.0930  235.2    -      -  

 61   24   0381 Dec 17  23:54:43   6846 -20013   N   -a  -1.0710  0.8846 -0.0991  235.2    -      -  
 62   25   0399 Dec 29  08:42:19   6668 -19790   N   -a  -1.0766  0.8746 -0.1099  234.6    -      -  
 63   26   0418 Jan 08  17:26:39   6490 -19567   N   -a  -1.0848  0.8598 -0.1251  233.4    -      -  
 64   27   0436 Jan 20  02:05:05   6311 -19344   N   -a  -1.0973  0.8370 -0.1480  231.3    -      -  
 65   28   0454 Jan 30  10:38:22   6133 -19121   N   -a  -1.1136  0.8070 -0.1779  228.3    -      -  
 66   29   0472 Feb 10  19:01:59   5955 -18898   N   -a  -1.1372  0.7634 -0.2211  223.6    -      -  
 67   30   0490 Feb 21  03:18:45   5779 -18675   N   -a  -1.1660  0.7104 -0.2736  217.3    -      -  
 68   31   0508 Mar 03  11:24:46   5602 -18452   N   -a  -1.2031  0.6420 -0.3416  208.5    -      -  
 69   32   0526 Mar 14  19:23:31   5425 -18229   N   -a  -1.2455  0.5642 -0.4191  197.5    -      -  
 70   33   0544 Mar 25  03:10:43   5250 -18006   N   -a  -1.2964  0.4706 -0.5125  182.6    -      -  

 71   34   0562 Apr 05  10:51:17   5076 -17783   N   -a  -1.3520  0.3686 -0.6147  163.6    -      -  
 72   35   0580 Apr 15  18:21:52   4903 -17560   N   -a  -1.4151  0.2533 -0.7306  137.5    -      -  
 73   36   0598 Apr 27  01:46:02   4731 -17337   N   -a  -1.4824  0.1303 -0.8546  100.1    -      -  


Footnotes

[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.


Calendar

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..


Predictions

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:

  1. pre-1950's: ΔT calculated from empirical fits to historical records derived by Morrison and Stephenson (2004)
  2. 1955-present: ΔT obtained from published observations
  3. future: ΔT is extrapolated from current values weighted by the long term trend from tidal effects

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.


Acknowledgments

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)"


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2009 Sep 29