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 87 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 0027 Aug 06. The series ended with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 1325 Sep 23. The total duration of Saros series 87 is 1298.17 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 0027 Aug 06 05:04:30 TD
Last Eclipse = 1325 Sep 23 02:08:36 TD
Duration of Saros 87 = 1298.17 Years
Saros 87 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 87 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 73 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 30 | 41.1% |
| Partial | P | 17 | 23.3% |
| Total | T | 26 | 35.6% |
The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 87 occur in the order of 21N 7P 26T 10P 9N which corresponds to:
21 Penumbral
7 Partial
26 Total
10 Partial
9 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 87 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: 0622 Jul 28 Duration = 01h44m06s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: 0983 Mar 02 Duration = 00h37m36s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 0514 May 24 Duration = 03h20m17s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 1163 Jun 18 Duration = 00h10m37s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 0388 Mar 09 Duration = 04h47m33s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 1325 Sep 23 Duration = 00h45m04s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 87 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 1001 Mar 12 Magnitude = 0.9995
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 1163 Jun 18 Magnitude = 0.0023
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 87 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 -33 0027 Aug 06 05:04:30 10258 -24396 N t- -1.5179 0.1084 -0.9625 101.0 - -
02 -32 0045 Aug 16 11:57:07 10080 -24173 N t- -1.4587 0.2194 -0.8563 142.6 - -
03 -31 0063 Aug 27 18:58:15 9904 -23950 N t- -1.4061 0.3185 -0.7620 170.7 - -
04 -30 0081 Sep 07 02:08:15 9729 -23727 N t- -1.3606 0.4043 -0.6809 191.3 - -
05 -29 0099 Sep 18 09:25:31 9555 -23504 N t- -1.3209 0.4794 -0.6102 207.3 - -
06 -28 0117 Sep 28 16:53:03 9382 -23281 N t- -1.2892 0.5397 -0.5542 219.0 - -
07 -27 0135 Oct 10 00:28:11 9210 -23058 N t- -1.2635 0.5888 -0.5088 228.1 - -
08 -26 0153 Oct 20 08:12:17 9039 -22835 N t- -1.2447 0.6248 -0.4761 234.5 - -
09 -25 0171 Oct 31 16:01:23 8868 -22612 N t- -1.2299 0.6534 -0.4502 239.3 - -
10 -24 0189 Nov 10 23:57:48 8697 -22389 N t- -1.2208 0.6710 -0.4345 242.3 - -
11 -23 0207 Nov 22 07:56:46 8526 -22166 N t- -1.2136 0.6848 -0.4218 244.5 - -
12 -22 0225 Dec 02 15:58:28 8355 -21943 N t- -1.2085 0.6945 -0.4125 246.0 - -
13 -21 0243 Dec 13 23:59:41 8183 -21720 N t- -1.2027 0.7049 -0.4016 247.5 - -
14 -20 0261 Dec 24 08:00:34 8011 -21497 N t- -1.1962 0.7161 -0.3891 249.0 - -
15 -19 0280 Jan 04 15:57:05 7838 -21274 N t- -1.1860 0.7337 -0.3694 251.3 - -
16 -18 0298 Jan 14 23:49:19 7665 -21051 N t- -1.1720 0.7580 -0.3423 254.5 - -
17 -17 0316 Jan 26 07:35:14 7490 -20828 N t- -1.1524 0.7922 -0.3046 258.8 - -
18 -16 0334 Feb 05 15:15:09 7315 -20605 N t- -1.1273 0.8361 -0.2566 264.2 - -
19 -15 0352 Feb 16 22:45:16 7139 -20382 N t- -1.0938 0.8953 -0.1928 271.2 - -
20 -14 0370 Feb 27 06:08:40 6962 -20159 N t- -1.0544 0.9653 -0.1181 278.8 - -
21 -13 0388 Mar 09 13:22:21 6785 -19936 Nx t- -1.0063 1.0509 -0.0275 287.6 - -
22 -12 0406 Mar 20 20:29:58 6607 -19713 P t- -0.9525 1.1471 0.0739 296.5 66.0 -
23 -11 0424 Mar 31 03:27:25 6428 -19490 P t- -0.8896 1.2599 0.1918 305.9 104.3 -
24 -10 0442 Apr 11 10:20:22 6250 -19267 P t- -0.8222 1.3810 0.3179 314.9 131.6 -
25 -09 0460 Apr 21 17:05:19 6072 -19044 P t- -0.7478 1.5153 0.4569 323.7 154.1 -
26 -08 0478 May 02 23:47:14 5894 -18821 P t- -0.6698 1.6560 0.6022 331.6 172.5 -
27 -07 0496 May 13 06:24:02 5718 -18598 P t- -0.5867 1.8065 0.7568 338.6 187.9 -
28 -06 0514 May 24 13:00:56 5541 -18375 P t- -0.5027 1.9586 0.9129 344.5 200.3 -
29 -05 0532 Jun 03 19:36:27 5365 -18152 T t- -0.4168 2.1145 1.0721 349.2 210.1 42.8
30 -04 0550 Jun 15 02:13:49 5190 -17929 T t- -0.3314 2.2698 1.2303 352.7 217.6 72.4
31 -03 0568 Jun 25 08:53:42 5016 -17706 T- p- -0.2473 2.4230 1.3859 355.0 222.8 88.3
32 -02 0586 Jul 06 15:38:20 4844 -17483 T- pp -0.1662 2.5707 1.5357 356.1 226.1 97.6
33 -01 0604 Jul 16 22:28:47 4673 -17260 T- pp -0.0887 2.7121 1.6786 356.3 227.7 102.5
34 00 0622 Jul 28 05:25:43 4503 -17037 T- pp -0.0157 2.8455 1.8131 355.5 227.9 104.1
35 01 0640 Aug 07 12:31:44 4335 -16814 T+ pp 0.0507 2.7809 1.7492 354.1 226.9 103.2
36 02 0658 Aug 18 19:46:17 4168 -16591 T+ pp 0.1108 2.6703 1.6392 352.2 225.1 100.5
37 03 0676 Aug 29 03:10:50 4003 -16368 T+ pp 0.1636 2.5733 1.5424 350.0 222.7 96.5
38 04 0694 Sep 09 10:45:10 3840 -16145 T+ pp 0.2093 2.4895 1.4587 347.7 220.1 91.6
39 05 0712 Sep 19 18:30:19 3680 -15922 T+ -p 0.2470 2.4203 1.3896 345.3 217.4 86.5
40 06 0730 Oct 01 02:25:09 3521 -15699 T -p 0.2772 2.3647 1.3342 343.1 214.9 81.5
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 07 0748 Oct 11 10:28:52 3365 -15476 T -p 0.3009 2.3211 1.2908 341.0 212.6 77.0
42 08 0766 Oct 22 18:41:39 3212 -15253 T -p 0.3179 2.2896 1.2599 339.1 210.8 73.4
43 09 0784 Nov 02 03:02:29 3062 -15030 T -p 0.3292 2.2684 1.2396 337.5 209.3 70.8
44 10 0802 Nov 13 11:29:30 2915 -14807 T -p 0.3360 2.2552 1.2277 336.0 208.2 69.1
45 11 0820 Nov 23 20:01:23 2772 -14584 T -p 0.3396 2.2478 1.2220 334.6 207.4 68.2
46 12 0838 Dec 05 04:36:36 2632 -14361 T -p 0.3412 2.2436 1.2203 333.4 206.8 67.8
47 13 0856 Dec 15 13:14:16 2495 -14138 T -p 0.3417 2.2413 1.2209 332.1 206.3 67.7
48 14 0874 Dec 26 21:50:44 2363 -13915 T -p 0.3440 2.2353 1.2185 330.7 205.6 67.3
49 15 0893 Jan 06 06:26:50 2234 -13692 T -p 0.3474 2.2271 1.2142 329.2 205.0 66.6
50 16 0911 Jan 17 14:58:46 2110 -13469 T -p 0.3551 2.2106 1.2022 327.5 203.9 64.8
51 17 0929 Jan 27 23:27:27 1990 -13246 T -p 0.3661 2.1878 1.1844 325.5 202.7 62.2
52 18 0947 Feb 08 07:48:45 1875 -13023 T -p 0.3842 2.1521 1.1539 323.2 200.8 57.3
53 19 0965 Feb 18 16:05:35 1764 -12800 T -p 0.4066 2.1081 1.1155 320.5 198.4 50.1
54 20 0983 Mar 02 00:14:18 1658 -12577 T -p 0.4367 2.0502 1.0631 317.3 195.2 37.6
55 21 1001 Mar 12 08:16:18 1556 -12354 P -a 0.4728 1.9809 0.9995 313.6 191.1 -
56 22 1019 Mar 23 16:10:23 1459 -12131 P -a 0.5161 1.8988 0.9229 309.2 185.8 -
57 23 1037 Apr 02 23:58:30 1366 -11908 P -a 0.5649 1.8067 0.8360 304.1 179.1 -
58 24 1055 Apr 14 07:40:05 1278 -11685 P -a 0.6197 1.7035 0.7378 298.1 170.7 -
59 25 1073 Apr 24 15:15:43 1195 -11462 P -a 0.6800 1.5906 0.6295 291.2 160.2 -
60 26 1091 May 05 22:46:58 1116 -11239 P -a 0.7444 1.4704 0.5133 283.1 147.0 -
61 27 1109 May 16 06:14:47 1041 -11016 P -a 0.8119 1.3447 0.3912 274.0 130.5 -
62 28 1127 May 27 13:39:51 971 -10793 P -a 0.8822 1.2143 0.2637 263.6 108.9 -
63 29 1145 Jun 06 21:03:47 905 -10570 P -a 0.9538 1.0817 0.1333 251.9 78.8 -
64 30 1163 Jun 18 04:27:57 843 -10347 P -a 1.0257 0.9490 0.0023 238.8 10.6 -
65 31 1181 Jun 28 11:53:59 785 -10124 N -a 1.0961 0.8193 -0.1263 224.6 - -
66 32 1199 Jul 09 19:21:31 730 -9901 N -a 1.1656 0.6915 -0.2538 208.7 - -
67 33 1217 Jul 20 02:53:32 680 -9678 N -a 1.2316 0.5706 -0.3750 191.7 - -
68 34 1235 Jul 31 10:29:18 632 -9455 N -a 1.2947 0.4553 -0.4911 173.0 - -
69 35 1253 Aug 10 18:11:53 588 -9232 N -a 1.3524 0.3501 -0.5976 153.2 - -
70 36 1271 Aug 22 01:59:09 546 -9009 N -a 1.4063 0.2520 -0.6976 131.1 - -
71 37 1289 Sep 01 09:55:12 507 -8786 N -a 1.4531 0.1673 -0.7846 107.6 - -
72 38 1307 Sep 12 17:57:27 471 -8563 N -a 1.4952 0.0914 -0.8630 80.2 - -
73 39 1325 Sep 23 02:08:36 437 -8340 Ne -a 1.5302 0.0286 -0.9286 45.1 - -
[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)"
