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 177 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series will begin with a penumbral eclipse near the southern edge of the penumbra on 2704 Oct 05. The series will end with a penumbral eclipse near the northern edge of the penumbra on 4002 Dec 03. The total duration of Saros series 177 is 1298.17 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 2704 Oct 05 11:58:46 TD
Last Eclipse = 4002 Dec 03 06:35:37 TD
Duration of Saros 177 = 1298.17 Years
Saros 177 is composed of 73 lunar eclipses as follows:
| Lunar Eclipses of Saros 177 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 73 | 100.0% |
| Penumbral | N | 31 | 42.5% |
| Partial | P | 14 | 19.2% |
| Total | T | 28 | 38.4% |
The 73 lunar eclipses in Saros 177 occur in the order of 21N 8P 28T 6P 10N which corresponds to:
21 Penumbral
8 Partial
28 Total
6 Partial
10 Penumbral
The longest and shortest eclipses of Saros 177 are as follows.
Longest Total Lunar Eclipse: 3389 Nov 25 Duration = 01h39m45s
Shortest Total Lunar Eclipse: 3714 Jun 11 Duration = 00h14m22s
Longest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 3732 Jun 21 Duration = 03h12m13s
Shortest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 3083 May 23 Duration = 00h50m38s
Longest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 3840 Aug 26 Duration = 04h34m40s
Shortest Penumbral Lunar Eclipse: 2704 Oct 05 Duration = 01h03m50s
The largest and smallest magnitude partial eclipses of Saros 177 are:
Largest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 3209 Aug 08 Magnitude = 0.9281
Smallest Partial Lunar Eclipse: 3083 May 23 Magnitude = 0.0549
Local circumstances at greatest eclipse[2] for every lunar eclipse of Saros 177 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 -38 2704 Oct 05 11:58:46 2478 8716 Nb a- -1.5219 0.0542 -0.9236 63.8 - -
02 -37 2722 Oct 16 19:56:04 2580 8939 N a- -1.4756 0.1393 -0.8388 101.4 - -
03 -36 2740 Oct 27 04:01:09 2685 9162 N a- -1.4349 0.2142 -0.7644 124.5 - -
04 -35 2758 Nov 07 12:15:27 2792 9385 N a- -1.4012 0.2763 -0.7029 140.3 - -
05 -34 2776 Nov 17 20:37:54 2901 9608 N a- -1.3735 0.3274 -0.6523 151.7 - -
06 -33 2794 Nov 29 05:08:06 3012 9831 N a- -1.3518 0.3675 -0.6126 159.8 - -
07 -32 2812 Dec 09 13:44:30 3125 10054 N a- -1.3347 0.3989 -0.5815 165.7 - -
08 -31 2830 Dec 20 22:26:34 3241 10277 N a- -1.3219 0.4223 -0.5579 169.8 - -
09 -30 2848 Dec 31 07:13:15 3358 10500 N a- -1.3127 0.4391 -0.5407 172.6 - -
10 -29 2867 Jan 11 16:01:40 3477 10723 N a- -1.3045 0.4537 -0.5252 174.9 - -
11 -28 2885 Jan 22 00:52:23 3599 10946 N a- -1.2981 0.4648 -0.5128 176.6 - -
12 -27 2903 Feb 03 09:41:43 3722 11169 N a- -1.2903 0.4781 -0.4977 178.6 - -
13 -26 2921 Feb 13 18:30:10 3848 11392 N a- -1.2821 0.4921 -0.4816 180.7 - -
14 -25 2939 Feb 25 03:13:32 3975 11615 N a- -1.2696 0.5137 -0.4575 183.9 - -
15 -24 2957 Mar 07 11:54:01 4105 11838 N a- -1.2550 0.5392 -0.4292 187.7 - -
16 -23 2975 Mar 18 20:27:49 4237 12061 N a- -1.2347 0.5749 -0.3904 192.9 - -
17 -22 2993 Mar 29 04:55:44 4371 12284 N a- -1.2097 0.6191 -0.3431 199.0 - -
18 -21 3011 Apr 10 13:15:44 4507 12507 N a- -1.1785 0.6747 -0.2842 206.4 - -
19 -20 3029 Apr 20 21:29:36 4645 12730 N a- -1.1423 0.7396 -0.2162 214.4 - -
20 -19 3047 May 02 05:35:38 4785 12953 N a- -1.0996 0.8165 -0.1364 223.3 - -
21 -18 3065 May 12 13:34:24 4927 13176 N a- -1.0509 0.9045 -0.0456 232.8 - -
22 -17 3083 May 23 21:26:36 5071 13399 P a- -0.9967 1.0026 0.0549 242.4 50.6 -
23 -16 3101 Jun 04 05:13:08 5218 13622 P a- -0.9381 1.1092 0.1634 252.0 86.1 -
24 -15 3119 Jun 15 12:53:40 5366 13845 P a- -0.8745 1.2252 0.2808 261.5 111.1 -
25 -14 3137 Jun 25 20:30:09 5516 14068 P a- -0.8075 1.3478 0.4044 270.5 131.0 -
26 -13 3155 Jul 07 04:02:50 5669 14291 P a- -0.7375 1.4760 0.5329 279.0 147.6 -
27 -12 3173 Jul 17 11:34:10 5823 14514 P a- -0.6666 1.6062 0.6628 286.8 161.4 -
28 -11 3191 Jul 28 19:02:11 5980 14737 P a- -0.5932 1.7414 0.7971 293.9 173.3 -
29 -10 3209 Aug 08 02:31:46 6139 14960 P a- -0.5214 1.8739 0.9281 300.2 183.0 -
30 -09 3227 Aug 19 10:00:55 6300 15183 T a- -0.4497 2.0066 1.0586 305.7 191.1 35.7
31 -08 3245 Aug 29 17:33:52 6462 15406 T p- -0.3813 2.1333 1.1826 310.4 197.6 60.8
32 -07 3263 Sep 10 01:08:06 6627 15629 T p- -0.3146 2.2575 1.3035 314.4 202.8 75.4
33 -06 3281 Sep 20 08:48:45 6794 15852 T- p- -0.2537 2.3712 1.4135 317.7 206.7 84.7
34 -05 3299 Oct 01 16:33:12 6964 16075 T- p- -0.1964 2.4784 1.5165 320.4 209.6 91.0
35 -04 3317 Oct 13 00:24:15 7135 16298 T- pp -0.1449 2.5751 1.6087 322.6 211.7 95.1
36 -03 3335 Oct 24 08:20:48 7308 16521 T- pp -0.0984 2.6628 1.6916 324.5 213.1 97.6
37 -02 3353 Nov 03 16:25:26 7483 16744 T- pp -0.0589 2.7378 1.7617 326.1 214.1 99.0
38 -01 3371 Nov 15 00:36:18 7661 16967 T- pp -0.0253 2.8019 1.8208 327.5 214.7 99.6
39 00 3389 Nov 25 08:53:37 7840 17190 T+ pp 0.0026 2.8460 1.8601 328.7 215.1 99.8
40 01 3407 Dec 07 17:17:33 8022 17413 T+ pp 0.0245 2.8083 1.8175 329.9 215.3 99.6
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 02 3425 Dec 18 01:47:27 8205 17636 T+ pp 0.0415 2.7794 1.7843 331.0 215.6 99.4
42 03 3443 Dec 29 10:21:37 8391 17859 T+ -p 0.0541 2.7584 1.7591 332.2 215.8 99.2
43 04 3462 Jan 08 18:58:51 8579 18082 T+ -p 0.0638 2.7425 1.7394 333.3 216.1 99.0
44 05 3480 Jan 20 03:38:21 8768 18305 T+ -p 0.0709 2.7310 1.7246 334.4 216.5 98.8
45 06 3498 Jan 30 12:18:42 8960 18528 T+ -p 0.0771 2.7211 1.7119 335.4 216.8 98.8
46 07 3516 Feb 11 20:57:17 9154 18751 T+ -p 0.0842 2.7093 1.6979 336.5 217.2 98.6
47 08 3534 Feb 22 05:34:07 9350 18974 T+ -p 0.0923 2.6953 1.6820 337.4 217.6 98.5
48 09 3552 Mar 04 14:06:26 9548 19197 T+ -p 0.1035 2.6755 1.6608 338.4 217.9 98.2
49 10 3570 Mar 15 22:33:47 9749 19420 T+ -p 0.1183 2.6488 1.6332 339.2 218.1 97.6
50 11 3588 Mar 26 06:53:37 9951 19643 T+ -p 0.1388 2.6114 1.5952 339.9 218.1 96.5
51 12 3606 Apr 06 15:06:51 10155 19866 T+ -p 0.1643 2.5649 1.5483 340.4 217.9 94.9
52 13 3624 Apr 16 23:11:27 10361 20089 T+ -p 0.1964 2.5061 1.4892 340.6 217.3 92.2
53 14 3642 Apr 28 07:06:51 10570 20312 T+ -p 0.2354 2.4346 1.4175 340.4 216.1 87.9
54 15 3660 May 08 14:53:14 10780 20535 T -p 0.2811 2.3510 1.3336 339.9 214.1 81.3
55 16 3678 May 19 22:30:27 10993 20758 T -a 0.3335 2.2550 1.2372 338.6 211.0 71.2
56 17 3696 May 30 05:59:22 11208 20981 T -a 0.3922 2.1477 1.1292 336.7 206.6 54.6
57 18 3714 Jun 11 13:18:34 11424 21204 T -a 0.4579 2.0275 1.0083 333.7 200.4 14.4
58 19 3732 Jun 21 20:31:23 11643 21427 P -h 0.5278 1.8998 0.8793 329.7 192.2 -
59 20 3750 Jul 03 03:36:38 11864 21650 P -h 0.6027 1.7632 0.7411 324.5 181.3 -
60 21 3768 Jul 13 10:36:47 12087 21873 P -t 0.6808 1.6210 0.5968 317.8 167.2 -
61 22 3786 Jul 24 17:31:40 12312 22096 P -t 0.7623 1.4728 0.4460 309.5 148.5 -
62 23 3804 Aug 05 00:24:18 12539 22319 P -t 0.8443 1.3237 0.2940 299.7 123.7 -
63 24 3822 Aug 16 07:14:53 12769 22542 P -t 0.9268 1.1740 0.1409 288.1 87.8 -
64 25 3840 Aug 26 14:04:24 13000 22765 Nx -t 1.0091 1.0250 -0.0120 274.7 - -
65 26 3858 Sep 06 20:55:27 13233 22988 N -t 1.0890 0.8806 -0.1607 259.5 - -
66 27 3876 Sep 17 03:48:47 13468 23211 N -t 1.1659 0.7418 -0.3042 242.5 - -
67 28 3894 Sep 28 10:46:17 13706 23434 N -t 1.2386 0.6109 -0.4400 223.7 - -
68 29 3912 Oct 09 17:47:52 13945 23657 N -t 1.3069 0.4881 -0.5679 203.1 - -
69 30 3930 Oct 21 00:56:06 14187 23880 N -t 1.3689 0.3770 -0.6843 181.1 - -
70 31 3948 Oct 31 08:10:27 14431 24103 N -t 1.4252 0.2766 -0.7902 157.1 - -
71 32 3966 Nov 11 15:31:21 14677 24326 N -t 1.4753 0.1871 -0.8849 130.7 - -
72 33 3984 Nov 21 22:59:54 14924 24549 N -t 1.5188 0.1101 -0.9672 101.3 - -
73 34 4002 Dec 03 06:35:37 15174 24772 N -t 1.5559 0.0444 -1.0377 64.9 - -
[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)"
