Eclipses of the Sun can only occur during the New Moon phase. It is then possible for the Moon's penumbral, umbral or antumbral shadows to sweep across Earth's surface thereby producing an eclipse. Not all New Moons result in a solar eclipse because the Moon's orbit is tilted about 5 degrees to Earth's about the Sun. Consequently, the Moon's shadows miss Earth at most New Moon's. Nevertheless, there are 2 to 5 solar eclipses every calendar year. There are four types of solar eclipses: partial, annular, total and hybrid[1]. For more information, see Basic Solar Eclipse Geometry.
During the 10 century period 1001 to 2000 ( 1001 CE to 2000 CE[2]), Earth experienced 2385 solar eclipses. The following table shows the number of eclipses of each type over this period.
Solar Eclipses: 1001 - 2000 | |||
Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
All Eclipses | - | 2385 | 100.0% |
Partial | P | 837 | 35.1% |
Annular | A | 767 | 32.2% |
Total | T | 616 | 25.8% |
Hybrid | H | 165 | 6.9% |
Annular and total eclipses can be further classified as either: 1) Central (two limits), 2) Central (one limit) or 3) Non-Central (one limit). The statistical distribution of these classes during the 20th century CE appears in the following three tables (no Hybrids are included since all are central with two limits).
Annular and Total Eclipses | ||
Classification | Number | Percent |
All | 1383 | 100.0% |
Central (two limits) | 1353 | 97.8% |
Central (one limit) | 13 | 0.9% |
Non-Central (one limit) | 17 | 1.2% |
Annular Eclipses | ||
Classification | Number | Percent |
All Annular Eclipses | 767 | 100.0% |
Central (two limits) | 745 | 97.1% |
Central (one limit) | 10 | 1.3% |
Non-Central (one limit) | 12 | 1.6% |
Total Eclipses | ||
Classification | Number | Percent |
All Total Eclipses | 616 | 100.0% |
Central (two limits) | 608 | 98.7% |
Central (one limit) | 3 | 0.5% |
Non-Central (one limit) | 5 | 0.8% |
The longest central[3] solar eclipses of this period are:
Longest Total Solar Eclipse: 1062 Jun 09 Duration = 07m20s Longest Annular Solar Eclipse: 1955 Dec 14 Duration = 12m09s Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse: 1423 Jul 08 Duration = 01m45s
Long Annular Solar Eclipses are relatively rare. The following catalog lists concise details and local circumstances for all Annular Solar Eclipses with durations exceeding 09m 00s. The Key to Catalog of Solar Eclipses contains a detailed description and explanation of each item listed in the catalog. For eclipses from -1999 to +3000, the Catalog Number in the first column serves as a link to a global map of Earth showing the geographic visibility of each eclipse. The date and time of the eclipse are given at the instant of greatest eclipse[4] in Terrestrial Dynamical Time. The Saros Number in the sixth column links to a table listing all eclipses in the Saros series. The Key to Solar Eclipse Maps explains the features plotted on each map.
The data presented here are based in part on the Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000.
TD of Catalog Calendar Greatest Luna Saros Ecl. Ecl. Sun Sun Path Central Number Date Eclipse ΔT Num Num Type Gamma Mag. Lat. Long. Alt Azm Width Dur. s ° ° ° ° km 07141 1007 Nov 12 20:00:23 1549 -12271 107 A 0.1855 0.9233 8.8S 115.5W 79 188 294 10m49s 07183 1025 Nov 23 03:59:16 1459 -12048 107 A 0.1758 0.9211 11.5S 124.5E 80 184 303 11m14s 07185 1026 Nov 12 03:05:07 1455 -12036 117 A 0.8527 0.9208 39.0N 145.4E 31 190 573 09m08s 07225 1043 Dec 04 12:01:48 1370 -11825 107 A 0.1691 0.9196 13.4S 3.8E 80 179 309 11m28s 07227 1044 Nov 22 11:07:50 1365 -11813 117 A 0.8426 0.9213 36.0N 20.5E 32 185 555 09m24s 07269 1061 Dec 14 20:03:51 1280 -11602 107 A 0.1623 0.9187 14.3S 116.5W 81 175 312 11m29s 07271 1062 Dec 03 19:13:41 1275 -11590 117 A 0.8342 0.9223 33.8N 104.9W 33 180 534 09m26s 07313 1079 Dec 26 04:06:10 1190 -11379 107 A 0.1559 0.9185 14.4S 123.1E 81 170 313 11m18s 07315 1080 Dec 14 03:22:42 1185 -11367 117 A 0.8281 0.9239 32.4N 129.1E 34 174 512 09m16s 07358 1098 Jan 05 12:04:49 1100 -11156 107 A 0.1464 0.9189 13.8S 3.7E 82 166 311 10m56s 07404 1116 Jan 16 20:00:57 1027 -10933 107 A 0.1350 0.9200 12.4S 115.1W 82 161 306 10m27s 07449 1134 Jan 27 03:49:21 955 -10710 107 A 0.1170 0.9217 10.6S 127.9E 83 158 298 09m54s 07494 1152 Feb 07 11:32:55 885 -10487 107 A 0.0950 0.9238 8.4S 12.0E 85 155 288 09m19s 07530 1166 Oct 25 21:19:40 842 -10305 110 A 0.0477 0.9253 12.2S 139.1W 87 205 282 09m05s 07576 1184 Nov 05 05:09:12 788 -10082 110 A 0.0659 0.9224 14.4S 103.7E 86 202 294 09m45s 07621 1202 Nov 16 13:02:26 734 -9859 110 A 0.0809 0.9201 16.2S 14.1W 85 198 303 10m23s 07667 1220 Nov 26 21:01:31 680 -9636 110 A 0.0907 0.9185 17.4S 133.3W 85 193 311 10m57s 07713 1238 Dec 08 05:02:16 627 -9413 110 A 0.0988 0.9175 17.9S 107.1E 84 188 315 11m23s 07758 1256 Dec 18 13:04:38 576 -9190 110 A 0.1055 0.9172 17.5S 12.8W 84 184 317 11m39s 07802 1274 Dec 29 21:04:54 529 -8967 110 A 0.1138 0.9175 16.2S 132.3W 84 179 316 11m44s 07845 1293 Jan 09 05:03:32 482 -8744 110 A 0.1233 0.9185 13.9S 108.4E 83 175 312 11m36s 07887 1311 Jan 20 12:57:37 445 -8521 110 A 0.1365 0.9200 10.6S 10.2W 82 171 306 11m18s 07928 1329 Jan 30 20:45:47 413 -8298 110 A 0.1543 0.9222 6.5S 127.8W 81 168 297 10m51s 07961 1343 Oct 19 06:39:25 386 -8116 113 A -0.2873 0.9247 29.0S 73.3E 73 16 296 09m12s 07969 1347 Feb 11 04:27:03 380 -8075 110 A 0.1778 0.9248 1.5S 115.9E 80 165 287 10m17s 08003 1361 Oct 29 14:21:52 357 -7893 113 A -0.3101 0.9219 34.1S 42.1W 72 13 310 09m22s 08010 1365 Feb 21 12:00:58 351 -7852 110 A 0.2074 0.9279 4.1N 1.1E 78 164 276 09m38s 08044 1379 Nov 09 22:10:29 328 -7670 113 A -0.3275 0.9195 38.3S 158.1W 71 10 323 09m29s 08085 1397 Nov 20 06:04:18 299 -7447 113 A -0.3407 0.9178 41.6S 85.7E 70 5 333 09m32s 08125 1415 Dec 01 14:02:32 274 -7224 113 A -0.3503 0.9166 43.7S 30.8W 69 359 339 09m31s 08165 1433 Dec 11 22:03:44 249 -7001 113 A -0.3579 0.9162 44.6S 147.4W 69 353 342 09m25s 08205 1451 Dec 23 06:05:20 225 -6778 113 A -0.3651 0.9164 44.3S 95.9E 68 347 342 09m16s 08244 1470 Jan 02 14:05:56 207 -6555 113 A -0.3733 0.9173 43.1S 20.8W 68 341 339 09m02s 08401 1538 Oct 22 23:38:41 147 -5704 116 A 0.5572 0.9214 16.6N 164.1W 56 205 351 09m41s 08442 1556 Nov 02 07:22:13 134 -5481 116 A 0.5798 0.9190 15.5N 78.9E 54 201 370 10m24s 08462 1565 Nov 22 20:49:55 129 -5369 135 A 0.9564 0.9092 51.4N 130.5W 16 184 1220 09m37s 08483 1574 Nov 13 15:12:17 123 -5258 116 A 0.5970 0.9171 14.8N 40.0W 53 197 387 11m03s 08503 1583 Dec 14 04:48:39 118 -5146 135 A 0.9471 0.9083 48.5N 104.1E 18 177 1116 10m03s 08524 1592 Dec 03 23:07:16 113 -5035 116 A 0.6102 0.9159 14.5N 160.2W 52 193 401 11m36s 08544 1601 Dec 24 12:50:31 107 -4923 135 A 0.9402 0.9078 46.6N 21.6W 19 171 1051 10m14s 08564 1610 Dec 15 07:06:48 99 -4812 116 A 0.6195 0.9153 14.7N 78.2E 52 188 409 11m56s 08586 1620 Jan 04 20:51:05 92 -4700 135 A 0.9321 0.9081 45.0N 146.5W 21 165 976 10m13s 08608 1628 Dec 25 15:08:47 84 -4589 116 A 0.6265 0.9153 15.4N 44.0W 51 184 413 12m02s 08630 1638 Jan 15 04:51:53 65 -4477 135 A 0.9242 0.9090 44.0N 88.9E 22 159 907 10m00s 08653 1647 Jan 05 23:10:59 50 -4366 116 A 0.6336 0.9161 16.9N 166.5W 51 179 413 11m50s 08676 1656 Jan 26 12:48:10 41 -4254 135 A 0.9122 0.9106 43.2N 34.1W 24 154 820 09m38s 08699 1665 Jan 16 07:11:51 31 -4143 116 A 0.6420 0.9174 19.1N 71.2E 50 175 409 11m24s 08722 1674 Feb 05 20:41:35 21 -4031 135 A 0.8979 0.9129 42.8N 155.7W 26 149 736 09m09s 08745 1683 Jan 27 15:10:09 13 -3920 116 A 0.6526 0.9195 22.1N 50.6W 49 171 401 10m44s 08790 1701 Feb 07 23:04:53 8 -3697 116 A 0.6663 0.9219 25.9N 171.7W 48 167 393 09m55s
TD of Catalog Calendar Greatest Luna Saros Ecl. Ecl. Sun Sun Path Central Number Date Eclipse ΔT Num Num Type Gamma Mag. Lat. Long. Alt Azm Width Dur. s ° ° ° ° km 08835 1719 Feb 19 06:52:57 10 -3474 116 A 0.6856 0.9250 30.5N 68.6E 47 163 384 09m01s 09200 1865 Oct 19 16:21:14 5 -1660 141 A 0.5366 0.9263 21.3N 60.2W 57 196 326 09m27s 09242 1883 Oct 30 23:50:54 -6 -1437 141 A 0.5030 0.9238 15.6N 174.9W 60 193 331 10m17s 09284 1901 Nov 11 07:28:21 -0 -1214 141 A 0.4758 0.9216 10.8N 68.9E 62 190 336 11m01s 09327 1919 Nov 22 15:14:12 21 -991 141 A 0.4549 0.9198 6.9N 48.9W 63 186 341 11m37s 09370 1937 Dec 02 23:05:45 24 -768 141 A 0.4389 0.9184 4.0N 167.8W 64 182 344 12m00s 09411 1955 Dec 14 07:02:25 31 -545 141 A 0.4266 0.9176 2.1N 72.2E 65 178 346 12m09s 09451 1973 Dec 24 15:02:44 44 -322 141 A 0.4171 0.9174 1.1N 48.5W 65 174 345 12m02s 09490 1992 Jan 04 23:05:37 58 -99 141 A 0.4091 0.9179 1.0N 169.7W 66 169 340 11m41s
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.
[1] Hybrid eclipses are also known as annular/total eclipses. Such an eclipse is both total and annular along different sections of its umbral path. (See: Five Millennium Catalog of Hybrid Solar Eclipses)
[2] The terms BCE and CE are abbreviations for "Before Common Era" and "Common Era," respectively. They are the secular equivalents to the BC and AD dating conventions. (See: Year Dating Conventions )
[3] Central solar eclipses are eclipses in which the central axis of the Moon's shadow strikes the Earth's surface. All partial (penumbral) eclipses are non-central eclipses since the shadow axis misses Earth. However, umbral eclipses (total, annular and hybrid) may be either central (usually) or non-central (rarely).
[4] Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to the Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is virtually identical to the instants of greatest magnitude and greatest duration. However, for annular eclipses, the instant of greatest duration may occur at either the time of greatest eclipse or near the sunrise and sunset points of the eclipse path.
Special thanks to Dan McGlaun for extracting the individual eclipse maps from the Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 for use in this catalog.
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 Solar 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)"