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.
Solar eclipses of Saros 156 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series will begin with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 2011 Jul 01. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 3237 Jul 14. The total duration of Saros series 156 is 1226.05 years. In summary:
First Eclipse = 2011 Jul 01 08:39:30 TD Last Eclipse = 3237 Jul 14 10:57:04 TD Duration of Saros 156 = 1226.05 Years
Saros 156 is composed of 69 solar eclipses as follows:
| Solar Eclipses of Saros 156 | |||
| Eclipse Type | Symbol | Number | Percent |
| All Eclipses | - | 69 | 100.0% |
| Partial | P | 17 | 24.6% |
| Annular | A | 52 | 75.4% |
| Total | T | 0 | 0.0% |
| 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 156 appears in the following table.
| Umbral Eclipses of Saros 156 | ||
| Classification | Number | Percent |
| All Umbral Eclipses | 52 | 100.0% |
| Central (two limits) | 51 | 98.1% |
| Central (one limit) | 1 | 1.9% |
| Non-Central (one limit) | 0 | 0.0% |
The following string illustrates the sequence of the 69 eclipses in Saros 156: 8P 52A 9P
The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 156 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.
| Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 156 | |||
| Extrema Type | Date | Duration | Magnitude |
| Longest Annular Solar Eclipse | 2516 May 03 | 08m28s | - |
| Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse | 3075 Apr 07 | 02m19s | - |
| Largest Partial Solar Eclipse | 2137 Sep 15 | - | 0.94361 |
| Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse | 2011 Jul 01 | - | 0.09706 |
The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 156. 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 156.
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
09533 -34 2011 Jul 01 08:39:30 67 142 Pb -1.4917 0.0971 65.2S 28.6E 0
09573 -33 2029 Jul 11 15:37:19 77 365 P -1.4191 0.2303 64.3S 85.6W 0
09613 -32 2047 Jul 22 22:36:17 91 588 P -1.3477 0.3604 63.4S 160.2E 0
09654 -31 2065 Aug 02 05:34:17 125 811 P -1.2759 0.4903 62.7S 46.5E 0
09695 -30 2083 Aug 13 12:34:41 165 1034 P -1.2064 0.6146 62.1S 67.5W 0
09736 -29 2101 Aug 24 19:37:03 206 1257 P -1.1392 0.7337 61.6S 178.2E 0
09777 -28 2119 Sep 05 02:44:27 250 1480 P -1.0766 0.8431 61.2S 62.8E 0
09818 -27 2137 Sep 15 09:56:34 296 1703 P -1.0184 0.9436 61.0S 53.8W 0
09860 -26 2155 Sep 26 17:14:27 340 1926 A -0.9654 0.9593 58.6S 143.0W 15 570 02m55s
09902 -25 2173 Oct 07 00:39:14 380 2149 A -0.9187 0.9558 57.8S 114.0E 23 402 03m17s
09946 -24 2191 Oct 18 08:11:12 422 2372 A -0.8783 0.9516 58.7S 5.2E 28 365 03m39s
09991 -23 2209 Oct 29 15:50:20 465 2595 A -0.8445 0.9472 60.7S 106.3W 32 358 04m02s
10034 -22 2227 Nov 09 23:36:42 511 2818 A -0.8171 0.9429 63.3S 140.7E 35 364 04m24s
10078 -21 2245 Nov 20 07:29:36 559 3041 A -0.7955 0.9387 66.3S 27.1E 37 374 04m45s
10123 -20 2263 Dec 01 15:28:45 609 3264 A -0.7794 0.9349 69.2S 85.8W 38 388 05m06s
10168 -19 2281 Dec 11 23:31:24 661 3487 A -0.7667 0.9316 71.4S 163.7E 40 400 05m26s
10214 -18 2299 Dec 23 07:38:42 716 3710 A -0.7584 0.9288 72.5S 54.8E 40 413 05m45s
10259 -17 2318 Jan 03 15:47:14 772 3933 A -0.7519 0.9265 71.9S 53.7W 41 422 06m02s
10305 -16 2336 Jan 14 23:56:42 830 4156 A -0.7463 0.9250 69.6S 164.9W 41 427 06m19s
10351 -15 2354 Jan 25 08:03:20 891 4379 A -0.7388 0.9240 66.0S 80.6E 42 427 06m35s
10396 -14 2372 Feb 05 16:07:48 953 4602 A -0.7301 0.9237 61.5S 36.9W 43 422 06m50s
10439 -13 2390 Feb 16 00:06:58 1018 4825 A -0.7177 0.9239 56.4S 155.6W 44 411 07m06s
10483 -12 2408 Feb 27 07:59:40 1084 5048 A -0.7004 0.9249 50.8S 85.5E 45 394 07m22s
10526 -11 2426 Mar 09 15:44:45 1153 5271 A -0.6774 0.9262 44.7S 32.5W 47 374 07m38s
10569 -10 2444 Mar 19 23:21:38 1224 5494 A -0.6476 0.9280 38.3S 149.1W 49 351 07m53s
10612 -09 2462 Mar 31 06:49:44 1297 5717 A -0.6111 0.9302 31.7S 96.3E 52 327 08m07s
10654 -08 2480 Apr 10 14:07:46 1372 5940 A -0.5664 0.9326 24.8S 16.0W 55 303 08m18s
10696 -07 2498 Apr 21 21:17:12 1448 6163 A -0.5148 0.9351 17.9S 125.9W 59 280 08m26s
10738 -06 2516 May 03 04:17:47 1528 6386 A -0.4559 0.9377 10.9S 126.7E 63 259 08m28s
10779 -05 2534 May 14 11:09:29 1609 6609 A -0.3896 0.9402 4.1S 21.9E 67 240 08m23s
10819 -04 2552 May 24 17:54:09 1692 6832 A -0.3174 0.9425 2.5N 80.5W 72 224 08m09s
10859 -03 2570 Jun 05 00:32:17 1777 7055 A -0.2395 0.9446 8.7N 179.4E 76 211 07m48s
10899 -02 2588 Jun 15 07:06:20 1864 7278 A -0.1582 0.9463 14.3N 81.1E 81 200 07m21s
10940 -01 2606 Jun 27 13:34:39 1954 7501 A -0.0720 0.9477 19.3N 15.0W 86 193 06m52s
10981 00 2624 Jul 07 20:02:10 2045 7724 Am 0.0150 0.9487 23.4N 110.2W 89 188 06m24s
11021 01 2642 Jul 19 02:27:54 2139 7947 A 0.1040 0.9493 26.6N 155.8E 84 187 06m00s
11061 02 2660 Jul 29 08:55:21 2235 8170 A 0.1914 0.9495 28.9N 61.8E 79 189 05m42s
11102 03 2678 Aug 09 15:23:56 2332 8393 A 0.2782 0.9492 30.4N 32.2W 74 194 05m30s
11144 04 2696 Aug 19 21:57:56 2432 8616 A 0.3608 0.9485 31.1N 127.6W 69 201 05m24s
11186 05 2714 Sep 01 04:36:50 2534 8839 A 0.4397 0.9474 31.3N 135.5E 64 213 05m24s
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
11229 06 2732 Sep 11 11:21:54 2638 9062 A 0.5138 0.9461 31.1N 36.6E 59 227 05m29s
11272 07 2750 Sep 22 18:14:45 2744 9285 A 0.5817 0.9445 30.9N 64.7W 54 246 05m40s
11317 08 2768 Oct 03 01:16:28 2852 9508 A 0.6427 0.9428 30.7N 168.8W 50 269 05m54s
11362 09 2786 Oct 14 08:28:06 2962 9731 A 0.6961 0.9410 30.8N 84.0E 46 296 06m11s
11407 10 2804 Oct 24 15:48:02 3074 9954 A 0.7433 0.9392 31.2N 26.0W 42 327 06m30s
11452 11 2822 Nov 04 23:19:12 3188 10177 A 0.7817 0.9376 31.9N 139.4W 38 362 06m49s
11497 12 2840 Nov 15 06:59:00 3305 10400 A 0.8135 0.9363 32.9N 104.4E 35 399 07m05s
11543 13 2858 Nov 26 14:48:33 3423 10623 A 0.8377 0.9354 34.1N 14.9W 33 435 07m17s
11589 14 2876 Dec 06 22:44:54 3544 10846 A 0.8570 0.9349 35.5N 136.5W 31 468 07m22s
11636 15 2894 Dec 18 06:49:29 3666 11069 A 0.8700 0.9350 37.0N 99.4E 29 492 07m20s
11683 16 2912 Dec 29 14:58:37 3791 11292 A 0.8798 0.9356 38.8N 26.2W 28 507 07m10s
11728 17 2931 Jan 09 23:12:05 3918 11515 A 0.8864 0.9369 40.7N 153.2W 27 510 06m52s
11772 18 2949 Jan 20 07:27:37 4046 11738 A 0.8919 0.9388 43.0N 79.2E 27 504 06m26s
11816 19 2967 Jan 31 15:44:49 4177 11961 A 0.8961 0.9413 45.6N 49.1W 26 490 05m55s
11860 20 2985 Feb 11 00:00:02 4310 12184 A 0.9028 0.9444 48.9N 177.3W 25 477 05m19s
----- 21 3003 Feb 23 08:13:25 4445 12407 A 0.9116 0.9479 52.9N 54.4E 24 465 04m41s
----- 22 3021 Mar 05 16:22:29 4582 12630 A 0.9243 0.9518 57.6N 74.1W 22 463 04m02s
----- 23 3039 Mar 17 00:28:08 4721 12853 A 0.9405 0.9560 62.9N 156.0E 19 477 03m25s
----- 24 3057 Mar 27 08:25:59 4863 13076 A 0.9637 0.9601 69.0N 21.1E 15 559 02m50s
----- 25 3075 Apr 07 16:19:22 5006 13299 An 0.9913 0.9632 73.5N 135.4W 6 - 02m19s
----- 26 3093 Apr 18 00:04:23 5151 13522 P 1.0267 0.9310 71.4N 75.4E 0
----- 27 3111 Apr 30 07:44:44 5299 13745 P 1.0664 0.8629 70.7N 52.2W 0
----- 28 3129 May 10 15:16:03 5448 13968 P 1.1142 0.7796 69.8N 176.9W 0
----- 29 3147 May 21 22:43:49 5600 14191 P 1.1655 0.6887 68.9N 59.9E 0
----- 30 3165 Jun 01 06:04:31 5754 14414 P 1.2235 0.5848 67.9N 60.9W 0
----- 31 3183 Jun 12 13:21:59 5909 14637 P 1.2845 0.4740 66.9N 179.6E 0
----- 32 3201 Jun 22 20:34:47 6067 14860 P 1.3499 0.3541 65.9N 61.7E 0
----- 33 3219 Jul 04 03:46:45 6227 15083 P 1.4166 0.2307 65.0N 55.5W 0
----- 34 3237 Jul 14 10:57:04 6389 15306 Pe 1.4851 0.1030 64.1N 172.0W 0
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] 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.
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)"
