Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 17

Introduction

The periodicity and recurrence of 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 13 centuries and contains 70 or more eclipses. Every saros series begins with a number of partial eclipses near one of Earth's polar regions. The series will then produce several dozen central[2] eclipses before ending with a group of partial eclipses near the opposite pole. For more information, see Periodicity of Solar Eclipses.


Statistics for Solar Eclipses of Saros 17

Solar eclipses of Saros 17 all occur at the Moon’s ascending node and the Moon moves southward with each eclipse. The series began with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on -2427 Jul 03. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on -1111 Sep 01. The total duration of Saros series 17 is 1316.20 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =  -2427 Jul 03   05:12:57 TD
                       Last Eclipse =  -1111 Sep 01   05:29:52 TD

                      Duration of Saros  17  =  1316.20 Years

Saros 17 is composed of 74 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 17
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 74100.0%
PartialP 30 40.5%
AnnularA 0 0.0%
TotalT 44 59.5%
Hybrid[3]H 0 0.0%

Umbral eclipses (annular, total and hybrid) 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 in Saros series 17 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 17
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 44100.0%
Central (two limits) 44100.0%
Central (one limit) 0 0.0%
Non-Central (one limit) 0 0.0%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 74 eclipses in Saros 17: 21P 44T 9P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 17 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 17
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Total Solar Eclipse -1796 Jul 1606m01s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse -2048 Feb 1600m37s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse -2066 Feb 04 - 0.96491
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse -1111 Sep 01 - 0.04528

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 17

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 17. A description or explanation of each parameter listed in the catalog can be found in Key to Catalog of Solar Eclipse Saros Series.

Several fields in the catalog link to web pages or files containing additional information for each eclipse (for the years -1999 through +3000). The following gives a brief explanation of each link.


For an animation showing how the eclipse path changes with each member of the series, see Animation of Saros 17.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 17

                         TD of
 Seq. Rel.   Calendar   Greatest          Luna  Ecl.           Ecl.                Sun Path  Central
 Num. Num.     Date      Eclipse     ΔT   Num.  Type  Gamma    Mag.    Lat   Long  Alt Width   Dur.
                                      s                                 °      °     °    km

----- -35 -2427 Jul 03  05:12:57  57436 -54749   Pb   1.4983  0.1028  64.4N 176.3W   0             
----- -34 -2409 Jul 14  12:06:10  56950 -54526   P    1.4288  0.2238  65.4N  68.4E   0             
----- -33 -2391 Jul 24  19:10:59  56465 -54303   P    1.3674  0.3308  66.4N  50.3W   0             
----- -32 -2373 Aug 05  02:25:34  55982 -54080   P    1.3129  0.4258  67.5N 171.8W   0             
----- -31 -2355 Aug 15  09:51:10  55501 -53857   P    1.2662  0.5070  68.5N  63.3E   0             
----- -30 -2337 Aug 26  17:28:03  55023 -53634   P    1.2275  0.5743  69.4N  64.9W   0             
----- -29 -2319 Sep 06  01:16:07  54546 -53411   P    1.1967  0.6278  70.3N 163.3E   0             
----- -28 -2301 Sep 17  09:14:27  54072 -53188   P    1.1736  0.6680  71.0N  28.4E   0             
----- -27 -2283 Sep 27  17:20:55  53599 -52965   P    1.1562  0.6984  71.5N 109.0W   0             
----- -26 -2265 Oct 09  01:36:31  53129 -52742   P    1.1455  0.7171  71.7N 110.9E   0             

----- -25 -2247 Oct 19  09:58:08  52660 -52519   P    1.1388  0.7292  71.6N  30.7W   0             
----- -24 -2229 Oct 30  18:24:58  52194 -52296   P    1.1357  0.7351  71.3N 173.5W   0             
----- -23 -2211 Nov 10  02:54:05  51730 -52073   P    1.1336  0.7395  70.7N  43.5E   0             
----- -22 -2193 Nov 21  11:25:11  51268 -51850   P    1.1324  0.7424  70.0N  99.3W   0             
----- -21 -2175 Dec 01  19:54:57  50808 -51627   P    1.1294  0.7487  69.0N 118.8E   0             
----- -20 -2157 Dec 13  04:22:27  50350 -51404   P    1.1239  0.7598  68.0N  21.8W   0             
----- -19 -2139 Dec 23  12:46:02  49894 -51181   P    1.1140  0.7787  66.9N 160.8W   0             
----- -18 -2120 Jan 03  21:04:54  49441 -50958   P    1.0994  0.8065  65.8N  62.0E   0             
----- -17 -2102 Jan 14  05:16:40  48989 -50735   P    1.0782  0.8468  64.8N  73.0W   0             
----- -16 -2084 Jan 25  13:22:01  48539 -50512   P    1.0508  0.8987  63.8N 154.0E   0             

----- -15 -2066 Feb 04  21:19:31  48092 -50289   P    1.0160  0.9649  62.9N  23.2E   0             
----- -14 -2048 Feb 16  05:11:00  47646 -50066   T    0.9750  1.0081  53.1N  90.5W  12  130  00m37s
----- -13 -2030 Feb 26  12:53:08  47203 -49843   T    0.9255  1.0174  46.1N 154.7E  22  155  01m21s
----- -12 -2012 Mar 08  20:30:21  46761 -49620   T    0.8709  1.0256  42.0N  39.7E  29  173  02m00s
00013 -11 -1994 Mar 20  03:59:50  46322 -49397   T    0.8091  1.0333  39.4N  73.3W  36  186  02m35s
00056 -10 -1976 Mar 30  11:26:06  45885 -49174   T    0.7436  1.0404  37.9N 174.7E  42  197  03m05s
00098 -09 -1958 Apr 10  18:45:52  45450 -48951   T    0.6719  1.0468  37.0N  64.7E  48  206  03m32s
00141 -08 -1940 Apr 21  02:04:36  45017 -48728   T    0.5983  1.0524  36.8N  44.7W  53  213  03m56s
00184 -07 -1922 May 02  09:19:50  44586 -48505   T    0.5213  1.0573  36.7N 152.8W  58  219  04m18s
00228 -06 -1904 May 12  16:35:44  44157 -48282   T    0.4441  1.0613  36.6N  99.2E  63  223  04m39s

00272 -05 -1886 May 23  23:51:15  43730 -48059   T    0.3658  1.0644  36.1N   8.4W  68  226  04m59s
00318 -04 -1868 Jun 03  07:10:24  43305 -47836   T    0.2900  1.0667  35.3N 116.9W  73  227  05m17s
00365 -03 -1850 Jun 14  14:32:21  42883 -47613   T    0.2160  1.0680  33.7N 133.8E  77  227  05m33s
00411 -02 -1832 Jun 24  21:59:15  42462 -47390   T    0.1456  1.0685  31.5N  22.9E  81  226  05m46s
00456 -01 -1814 Jul 06  05:31:47  42043 -47167   T    0.0796  1.0682  28.5N  90.0W  85  223  05m56s
00502  00 -1796 Jul 16  13:11:22  41627 -46944   T    0.0193  1.0673  25.0N 154.7E  89  220  06m01s
00548  01 -1778 Jul 27  20:58:21  41213 -46721   T   -0.0353  1.0658  20.8N  37.0E  88  215  06m01s
00593  02 -1760 Aug 07  04:53:14  40800 -46498   Tm  -0.0834  1.0638  16.3N  83.4W  85  210  05m54s
00638  03 -1742 Aug 18  12:56:59  40390 -46275   T   -0.1242  1.0614  11.4N 153.6E  83  203  05m43s
00684  04 -1724 Aug 28  21:09:28  39982 -46052   T   -0.1577  1.0589   6.3N  28.0E  81  196  05m28s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 17

                         TD of
 Seq. Rel.   Calendar   Greatest          Luna  Ecl.           Ecl.                Sun Path  Central
 Num. Num.     Date      Eclipse     ΔT   Num.  Type  Gamma    Mag.    Lat   Long  Alt Width   Dur.
                                      s                                 °      °     °    km

00730  05 -1706 Sep 09  05:29:48  39576 -45829   T   -0.1846  1.0563   1.1N  99.8W  79  189  05m11s
00774  06 -1688 Sep 19  13:58:44  39172 -45606   T   -0.2045  1.0537   4.1S 130.1E  78  181  04m53s
00818  07 -1670 Sep 30  22:34:46  38770 -45383   T   -0.2186  1.0513   9.2S   1.7W  77  174  04m37s
00859  08 -1652 Oct 11  07:17:32  38370 -45160   T   -0.2268  1.0492  14.2S 134.9W  77  167  04m22s
00900  09 -1634 Oct 22  16:04:12  37972 -44937   T   -0.2317  1.0474  19.0S  91.1E  76  162  04m10s
00941  10 -1616 Nov 02  00:55:43  37576 -44714   T   -0.2327  1.0461  23.4S  43.6W  76  158  04m01s
00982  11 -1598 Nov 13  09:49:09  37183 -44491   T   -0.2322  1.0452  27.5S 178.2W  76  155  03m55s
01023  12 -1580 Nov 23  18:43:19  36791 -44268   T   -0.2312  1.0450  31.1S  47.6E  76  154  03m51s
01064  13 -1562 Dec 05  03:35:56  36401 -44045   T   -0.2314  1.0450  34.0S  85.5W  76  154  03m50s
01104  14 -1544 Dec 15  12:26:09  36014 -43822   T   -0.2338  1.0457  36.3S 142.5E  76  157  03m51s

01144  15 -1526 Dec 26  21:12:07  35629 -43599   T   -0.2397  1.0466  37.7S  12.1E  76  160  03m54s
01184  16 -1507 Jan 06  05:51:53  35245 -43376   T   -0.2508  1.0479  38.4S 116.6W  75  165  03m57s
01224  17 -1489 Jan 17  14:25:23  34864 -43153   T   -0.2673  1.0493  38.4S 116.4E  74  170  04m00s
01264  18 -1471 Jan 27  22:50:49  34485 -42930   T   -0.2904  1.0508  37.7S   8.7W  73  176  04m04s
01304  19 -1453 Feb 08  07:07:43  34108 -42707   T   -0.3204  1.0523  36.5S 132.0W  71  183  04m07s
01346  20 -1435 Feb 18  15:15:25  33733 -42484   T   -0.3579  1.0536  35.0S 106.7E  69  189  04m10s
01387  21 -1417 Mar 01  23:14:30  33360 -42261   T   -0.4023  1.0546  33.4S  12.8W  66  196  04m12s
01428  22 -1399 Mar 12  07:05:11  32989 -42038   T   -0.4535  1.0551  31.9S 130.5W  63  203  04m14s
01469  23 -1381 Mar 23  14:46:27  32620 -41815   T   -0.5121  1.0551  30.8S 114.0E  59  209  04m14s
01511  24 -1363 Apr 02  22:20:58  32253 -41592   T   -0.5757  1.0543  30.2S   0.0E  55  216  04m13s

01553  25 -1345 Apr 14  05:48:09  31889 -41369   T   -0.6448  1.0528  30.5S 112.2W  50  224  04m08s
01596  26 -1327 Apr 24  13:10:37  31526 -41146   T   -0.7174  1.0504  31.9S 136.6E  44  235  04m00s
01639  27 -1309 May 05  20:27:00  31165 -40923   T   -0.7942  1.0469  34.8S  27.0E  37  251  03m45s
01682  28 -1291 May 16  03:41:12  30807 -40700   T   -0.8723  1.0422  39.8S  81.8W  29  283  03m21s
01727  29 -1273 May 27  10:52:41  30451 -40477   T   -0.9513  1.0356  48.6S 171.8E  17  389  02m43s
01771  30 -1255 Jun 06  18:03:43  30096 -40254   P   -1.0300  0.9518  63.2S  72.5E   0             
01817  31 -1237 Jun 18  01:14:59  29744 -40031   P   -1.1075  0.8047  64.0S  46.4W   0             
01862  32 -1219 Jun 28  08:28:45  29394 -39808   P   -1.1819  0.6646  65.0S 166.2W   0             
01907  33 -1201 Jul 09  15:45:55  29046 -39585   P   -1.2523  0.5332  66.0S  72.9E   0             
01952  34 -1183 Jul 19  23:06:27  28700 -39362   P   -1.3189  0.4103  67.0S  49.4W   0             

01998  35 -1165 Jul 31  06:32:53  28356 -39139   P   -1.3793  0.3003  68.0S 173.5W   0             
02044  36 -1147 Aug 10  14:04:50  28014 -38916   P   -1.4341  0.2018  69.0S  60.3E   0             
02090  37 -1129 Aug 21  21:44:25  27674 -38693   P   -1.4816  0.1178  69.9S  68.3W   0             
02135  38 -1111 Sep 01  05:29:52  27336 -38470   Pe  -1.5234  0.0453  70.6S 161.1E   0             


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.


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]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).

[3]Hybrid eclipses are also known as annular/total eclipses. Such an eclipse is both total and annular along different sections of its umbral path. For more information, see Five Millennium Catalog of Hybrid Solar Eclipses .

[4]Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is nearly equal 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.


Acknowledgments

The information presented on this web page is based on data published in Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 and Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000. The individual global maps appearing in links (both GIF an animation) were extracted from full page plates appearing in Five Millennium Canon by Dan McGlaun. The Besselian elements were provided by Jean Meeus. Fred Espenak assumes full responsibility for the accuracy of all eclipse calculations.

Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak (NASA's GSFC)"


Return to:

Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Periodicity of Solar Eclipses

Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses

2009 Sep 26