Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 160

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 160

Solar eclipses of Saros 160 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 2181 May 13. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 3443 Jun 20. The total duration of Saros series 160 is 1262.11 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =   2181 May 13   14:55:43 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   3443 Jun 20   14:48:56 TD

                      Duration of Saros 160  =  1262.11 Years

Saros 160 is composed of 71 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 160
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 71100.0%
PartialP 26 36.6%
AnnularA 20 28.2%
TotalT 22 31.0%
Hybrid[3]H 3 4.2%

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 160 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 160
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 45100.0%
Central (two limits) 44 97.8%
Central (one limit) 0 0.0%
Non-Central (one limit) 1 2.2%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 71 eclipses in Saros 160: 7P 20A 3H 22T 19P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 160 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 160
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse 2307 Jul 3003m37s -
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse 2650 Feb 2200m09s -
Longest Total Solar Eclipse 2866 Jul 0304m59s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse 2722 Apr 0802m06s -
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2704 Mar 2701m29s -
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2668 Mar 0500m21s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse 3118 Dec 05 - 0.96768
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 3443 Jun 20 - 0.04824

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 160

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 160. 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 160.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 160

                         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

09921 -34  2181 May 13  14:55:43    397   2243   Pb  -1.5323  0.0510  69.4S  16.9W   0             
09965 -33  2199 May 24  21:42:07    440   2466   P   -1.4596  0.1742  68.5S 130.1W   0             
10009 -32  2217 Jun 05  04:22:20    485   2689   P   -1.3807  0.3094  67.5S 118.9E   0             
10053 -31  2235 Jun 16  11:00:36    531   2912   P   -1.2990  0.4502  66.5S   8.8E   0             
10097 -30  2253 Jun 26  17:36:11    580   3135   P   -1.2139  0.5981  65.5S 100.1W   0             
10142 -29  2271 Jul 08  00:13:02    631   3358   P   -1.1284  0.7474  64.5S 151.1E   0             
10188 -28  2289 Jul 18  06:50:58    684   3581   P   -1.0426  0.8980  63.6S  42.3E   0             
10233 -27  2307 Jul 30  13:31:16    739   3804   A   -0.9574  0.9602  50.0S  48.7W  16  501  03m37s
10278 -26  2325 Aug 09  20:16:24    796   4027   A   -0.8749  0.9648  40.3S 146.1W  29  256  03m24s
10323 -25  2343 Aug 21  03:07:05    855   4250   A   -0.7957  0.9679  35.1S 112.8E  37  186  03m09s

10369 -24  2361 Aug 31  10:04:30    917   4473   A   -0.7211  0.9701  32.2S   9.7E  44  151  02m54s
10413 -23  2379 Sep 11  17:09:32    980   4696   A   -0.6518  0.9717  30.9S  95.4W  49  130  02m42s
10457 -22  2397 Sep 22  00:23:55   1046   4919   A   -0.5892  0.9728  30.9S 157.2E  54  118  02m34s
10500 -21  2415 Oct 03  07:47:48   1113   5142   A   -0.5335  0.9736  31.8S  47.4E  58  110  02m27s
10543 -20  2433 Oct 13  15:20:16   1183   5365   A   -0.4840  0.9742  33.4S  64.2W  61  104  02m23s
10586 -19  2451 Oct 24  23:03:09   1254   5588   A   -0.4424  0.9746  35.3S 178.3W  64  101  02m21s
10629 -18  2469 Nov 04  06:55:37   1328   5811   A   -0.4081  0.9750  37.5S  65.7E  66   97  02m19s
10672 -17  2487 Nov 15  14:57:35   1404   6034   A   -0.3807  0.9756  39.5S  52.3W  67   94  02m16s
10714 -16  2505 Nov 26  23:07:04   1482   6257   A   -0.3588  0.9763  41.2S 171.6W  69   91  02m13s
10755 -15  2523 Dec 08  07:24:54   1561   6480   A   -0.3431  0.9774  42.4S  67.5E  70   86  02m08s

10796 -14  2541 Dec 18  15:48:55   1643   6703   A   -0.3319  0.9788  42.8S  54.7W  70   80  02m01s
10836 -13  2559 Dec 30  00:17:19   1728   6926   A   -0.3237  0.9808  42.2S 177.9W  71   72  01m50s
10876 -12  2578 Jan 09  08:49:00   1814   7149   A   -0.3176  0.9831  40.7S  57.7E  71   63  01m37s
10916 -11  2596 Jan 20  17:22:01   1902   7372   A   -0.3119  0.9862  38.3S  67.6W  72   51  01m20s
10957 -10  2614 Feb 01  01:55:16   1992   7595   A   -0.3058  0.9897  35.0S 166.3E  72   38  01m00s
10998 -09  2632 Feb 12  10:25:37   2085   7818   A   -0.2969  0.9938  30.9S  40.1E  73   23  00m36s
11038 -08  2650 Feb 22  18:53:59   2179   8041   A   -0.2856  0.9984  26.2S  86.4W  73    6  00m09s
11079 -07  2668 Mar 05  03:17:08   2276   8264   H   -0.2697  1.0035  21.0S 147.7E  74   13  00m21s
11120 -06  2686 Mar 16  11:34:58   2374   8487   H   -0.2486  1.0090  15.4S  22.6E  76   32  00m54s
11162 -05  2704 Mar 27  19:45:56   2475   8710   H   -0.2211  1.0148   9.5S 101.1W  77   52  01m29s

11204 -04  2722 Apr 08  03:51:03   2577   8933   T   -0.1881  1.0208   3.5S 136.6E  79   72  02m06s
11247 -03  2740 Apr 18  11:49:23   2682   9156   T   -0.1487  1.0268   2.7N  15.9E  81   92  02m43s
11290 -02  2758 Apr 29  19:40:31   2789   9379   T   -0.1026  1.0328   8.9N 102.7W  84  111  03m18s
11335 -01  2776 May 10  03:25:50   2898   9602   T   -0.0507  1.0386  14.9N 140.5E  87  130  03m50s
11380  00  2794 May 21  11:05:18   3009   9825   T    0.0070  1.0441  20.7N  25.6E  89  147  04m16s
11425  01  2812 May 31  18:39:58   3122  10048   Tm   0.0694  1.0493  26.2N  87.3W  86  164  04m36s
11470  02  2830 Jun 12  02:09:55   3237  10271   T    0.1365  1.0538  31.1N 161.8E  82  180  04m50s
11516  03  2848 Jun 22  09:37:37   3355  10494   T    0.2062  1.0578  35.3N  52.3E  78  195  04m57s
11562  04  2866 Jul 03  17:03:16   3474  10717   T    0.2785  1.0610  38.7N  55.8W  74  209  04m59s
11609  05  2884 Jul 14  00:27:39   3595  10940   T    0.3523  1.0635  41.3N 162.8W  69  222  04m58s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 160

                         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

11656  06  2902 Jul 26  07:52:48   3719  11163   T    0.4260  1.0651  42.9N  90.4E  65  235  04m54s
11702  07  2920 Aug 05  15:19:10   3844  11386   T    0.4991  1.0660  43.8N  16.6W  60  248  04m48s
11747  08  2938 Aug 16  22:49:03   3972  11609   T    0.5697  1.0660  43.9N 124.7W  55  261  04m42s
11791  09  2956 Aug 27  06:20:57   4101  11832   T    0.6387  1.0653  43.8N 126.2E  50  274  04m34s
11835  10  2974 Sep 07  13:59:21   4233  12055   T    0.7028  1.0638  43.5N  14.9E  45  289  04m25s
11879  11  2992 Sep 17  21:42:08   4367  12278   T    0.7636  1.0617  43.5N  98.1W  40  307  04m16s
-----  12  3010 Sep 30  05:32:38   4503  12501   T    0.8180  1.0589  43.8N 146.3E  35  330  04m05s
-----  13  3028 Oct 10  13:28:55   4641  12724   T    0.8679  1.0556  44.9N  28.8E  29  362  03m53s
-----  14  3046 Oct 21  21:34:28   4781  12947   T    0.9104  1.0520  46.7N  91.6W  24  409  03m38s
-----  15  3064 Nov 01  05:46:35   4923  13170   T    0.9478  1.0479  49.8N 146.2E  18  497  03m20s

-----  16  3082 Nov 12  14:06:37   5067  13393   T    0.9789  1.0433  54.7N  22.5E  11  734  02m57s
-----  17  3100 Nov 23  22:33:38   5213  13616   T+   1.0045  1.0050  63.6N  98.5W   0             
-----  18  3118 Dec 05  07:08:23   5362  13839   P    1.0236  0.9677  64.5N 123.9E   0             
-----  19  3136 Dec 15  15:48:20   5512  14062   P    1.0390  0.9376  65.5N  15.2W   0             
-----  20  3154 Dec 27  00:33:10   5664  14285   P    1.0503  0.9153  66.5N 156.0W   0             
-----  21  3173 Jan 06  09:21:40   5819  14508   P    1.0588  0.8987  67.6N  61.8E   0             
-----  22  3191 Jan 17  18:13:12   5976  14731   P    1.0647  0.8871  68.7N  81.7W   0             
-----  23  3209 Jan 28  03:04:14   6134  14954   P    1.0711  0.8749  69.7N 134.3E   0             
-----  24  3227 Feb 08  11:55:28   6295  15177   P    1.0772  0.8632  70.6N  10.4W   0             
-----  25  3245 Feb 18  20:43:30   6458  15400   P    1.0861  0.8465  71.4N 154.9W   0             

-----  26  3263 Mar 02  05:29:09   6623  15623   P    1.0969  0.8265  71.9N  60.6E   0             
-----  27  3281 Mar 12  14:08:09   6790  15846   P    1.1129  0.7964  72.2N  82.6W   0             
-----  28  3299 Mar 23  22:43:04   6959  16069   P    1.1324  0.7600  72.3N 135.0E   0             
-----  29  3317 Apr 04  07:09:55   7130  16292   P    1.1584  0.7111  72.0N   5.2W   0             
-----  30  3335 Apr 15  15:30:11   7303  16515   P    1.1899  0.6518  71.6N 143.4W   0             
-----  31  3353 Apr 25  23:41:33   7478  16738   P    1.2286  0.5786  70.9N  81.1E   0             
-----  32  3371 May 07  07:46:17   7655  16961   P    1.2726  0.4952  70.1N  52.0W   0             
-----  33  3389 May 17  15:42:38   7835  17184   P    1.3232  0.3991  69.2N 177.6E   0             
-----  34  3407 May 29  23:31:28   8016  17407   P    1.3796  0.2919  68.2N  49.7E   0             
-----  35  3425 Jun 09  07:13:18   8200  17630   P    1.4414  0.1744  67.2N  76.0W   0             

-----  36  3443 Jun 20  14:48:56   8385  17853   Pe   1.5079  0.0482  66.2N 160.5E   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