Saros Series Catalog of Solar Eclipses

Saros Series 177

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 177

Solar eclipses of Saros 177 all occur at the Moon’s ascending node and the Moon moves southward with each eclipse. The series will begin with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 2655 May 27. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 3881 Jun 10. The total duration of Saros series 177 is 1226.05 years. In summary:

                      First Eclipse =   2655 May 27   22:51:50 TD
                       Last Eclipse =   3881 Jun 10   06:01:02 TD

                      Duration of Saros 177  =  1226.05 Years

Saros 177 is composed of 69 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 177
Eclipse Type Symbol Number Percent
All Eclipses - 69100.0%
PartialP 26 37.7%
AnnularA 37 53.6%
TotalT 3 4.3%
Hybrid[3]H 3 4.3%

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 177 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 177
Classification Number Percent
All Umbral Eclipses 43100.0%
Central (two limits) 41 95.3%
Central (one limit) 1 2.3%
Non-Central (one limit) 1 2.3%

The following string illustrates the sequence of the 69 eclipses in Saros 177: 8P 3T 3H 37A 18P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 177 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses are listed in the below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 177
Extrema Type Date Duration Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse 3412 Aug 3006m37s -
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse 2907 Oct 2800m31s -
Longest Total Solar Eclipse 2817 Sep 0201m14s -
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse 2835 Sep 1401m07s -
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2853 Sep 2400m52s -
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse 2889 Oct 1500m02s -
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse 2781 Aug 12 - 0.93526
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse 2655 May 27 - 0.05432

Description of the Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 177

The catalog below lists concise details and local circumstances at greatest eclipse[5] for every solar eclipse in Saros 177. 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 177.



Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 177

                         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

11050 -36  2655 May 27  22:51:50   2207   8106   Pb   1.5050  0.0543  64.1N  62.4E   0             
11091 -35  2673 Jun 07  06:25:46   2304   8329   P    1.4460  0.1665  64.9N  60.3W   0             
11132 -34  2691 Jun 18  13:52:32   2403   8552   P    1.3818  0.2885  65.9N 178.4E   0             
11174 -33  2709 Jun 29  21:16:23   2504   8775   P    1.3157  0.4139  66.8N  57.5E   0             
11216 -32  2727 Jul 11  04:36:05   2608   8998   P    1.2468  0.5441  67.8N  62.7W   0             
11259 -31  2745 Jul 21  11:53:46   2713   9221   P    1.1767  0.6759  68.8N 177.0E   0             
11304 -30  2763 Aug 01  19:10:33   2821   9444   P    1.1066  0.8069  69.7N  56.5E   0             
11348 -29  2781 Aug 12  02:27:38   2930   9667   P    1.0373  0.9353  70.6N  64.8W   0             
11393 -28  2799 Aug 23  09:46:32   3042   9890   T    0.9698  1.0204  75.2N 127.2E  13  300  01m11s
11438 -27  2817 Sep 02  17:07:37   3155  10113   T    0.9047  1.0186  66.5N  23.1W  25  150  01m14s

11483 -26  2835 Sep 14  00:33:18   3271  10336   T    0.8441  1.0151  56.9N 147.8W  32   96  01m07s
11529 -25  2853 Sep 24  08:03:33   3389  10559   H3   0.7880  1.0107  48.1N  92.4E  38   59  00m52s
11575 -24  2871 Oct 05  15:39:10   3509  10782   H    0.7370  1.0057  40.2N  26.4W  42   29  00m30s
11622 -23  2889 Oct 15  23:21:08   3631  11005   H    0.6918  1.0004  33.1N 145.6W  46    2  00m02s
11669 -22  2907 Oct 28  07:09:47   3755  11228   A    0.6527  0.9949  26.8N  94.3E  49   23  00m31s
11714 -21  2925 Nov 07  15:05:14   3881  11451   A    0.6202  0.9894  21.4N  26.9W  52   47  01m08s
11759 -20  2943 Nov 18  23:06:18   4009  11674   A    0.5931  0.9840  17.0N 148.9W  54   70  01m48s
11803 -19  2961 Nov 29  07:14:06   4140  11897   A    0.5722  0.9789  13.5N  87.7E  55   92  02m28s
11847 -18  2979 Dec 10  15:27:25   4272  12120   A    0.5563  0.9740  11.1N  36.6W  56  112  03m07s
11892 -17  2997 Dec 20  23:45:15   4406  12343   A    0.5449  0.9696   9.6N 161.9W  57  130  03m40s

----- -16  3016 Jan 02  08:06:22   4543  12566   A    0.5367  0.9657   9.2N  72.1E  57  146  04m08s
----- -15  3034 Jan 12  16:29:17   4681  12789   A    0.5306  0.9624   9.6N  54.2W  58  160  04m28s
----- -14  3052 Jan 24  00:53:13   4822  13012   A    0.5259  0.9595  10.9N 179.2E  58  171  04m42s
----- -13  3070 Feb 03  09:14:42   4965  13235   A    0.5196  0.9573  12.7N  53.2E  59  179  04m49s
----- -12  3088 Feb 14  17:34:38   5109  13458   A    0.5125  0.9556  15.1N  72.4W  59  185  04m51s
----- -11  3106 Feb 26  01:49:11   5256  13681   A    0.5015  0.9546  17.8N 163.5E  60  189  04m50s
----- -10  3124 Mar 08  09:58:47   5405  13904   A    0.4870  0.9540  20.7N  40.8E  61  189  04m46s
----- -09  3142 Mar 19  17:59:30   5556  14127   A    0.4658  0.9538  23.7N  79.3W  62  188  04m41s
----- -08  3160 Mar 30  01:53:34   5709  14350   A    0.4397  0.9540  26.5N 162.7E  64  185  04m36s
----- -07  3178 Apr 10  09:37:44   5864  14573   A    0.4060  0.9545  29.0N  47.9E  66  180  04m33s

----- -06  3196 Apr 20  17:12:30   6022  14796   A    0.3652  0.9551  31.0N  64.0W  68  175  04m31s
----- -05  3214 May 02  00:37:04   6181  15019   A    0.3169  0.9558  32.3N 172.6W  71  169  04m32s
----- -04  3232 May 12  07:52:46   6342  15242   A    0.2620  0.9565  32.7N  81.5E  75  164  04m36s
----- -03  3250 May 23  14:59:10   6506  15465   A    0.1999  0.9570  31.9N  21.8W  78  160  04m43s
----- -02  3268 Jun 02  21:56:25   6671  15688   Am   0.1308  0.9573  29.8N 123.0W  82  157  04m54s
----- -01  3286 Jun 14  04:46:34   6839  15911   A    0.0565  0.9574  26.5N 137.1E  87  155  05m09s
-----  00  3304 Jun 25  11:30:12   7008  16134   A   -0.0224  0.9570  22.0N  38.2E  89  157  05m27s
-----  01  3322 Jul 06  18:08:16   7180  16357   A   -0.1054  0.9564  16.4N  60.2W  84  160  05m45s
-----  02  3340 Jul 17  00:42:38   7354  16580   A   -0.1910  0.9552   9.9N 158.6W  79  167  06m03s
-----  03  3358 Jul 28  07:14:42   7530  16803   A   -0.2780  0.9536   2.6N 102.7E  74  176  06m18s


Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 177

                         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

-----  04  3376 Aug 07  13:46:52   7707  17026   A   -0.3642  0.9515   5.3S   3.3E  69  190  06m30s
-----  05  3394 Aug 18  20:17:57   7887  17249   A   -0.4510  0.9490  13.8S  96.5W  63  208  06m35s
-----  06  3412 Aug 30  02:52:38   8070  17472   A   -0.5340  0.9461  22.6S 162.1E  58  233  06m37s
-----  07  3430 Sep 10  09:29:23   8254  17695   A   -0.6148  0.9428  31.7S  59.6E  52  265  06m34s
-----  08  3448 Sep 20  16:12:43   8440  17918   A   -0.6899  0.9392  40.9S  45.2W  46  308  06m27s
-----  09  3466 Oct 01  23:00:02   8628  18141   A   -0.7612  0.9353  50.4S 152.1W  40  368  06m17s
-----  10  3484 Oct 12  05:56:32   8819  18364   A   -0.8246  0.9313  59.7S  97.2E  34  453  06m06s
-----  11  3502 Oct 24  12:59:22   9011  18587   A   -0.8824  0.9270  69.0S  19.3W  28  586  05m54s
-----  12  3520 Nov 03  20:11:29   9205  18810   A   -0.9325  0.9227  77.3S 151.2W  21  824  05m42s
-----  13  3538 Nov 15  03:31:09   9402  19033   As  -0.9763  0.9179  79.2S  36.6E  12   -   05m29s

-----  14  3556 Nov 25  11:00:41   9601  19256   A-  -1.0122  0.9310  68.7S 114.1W   0             
-----  15  3574 Dec 06  18:37:39   9801  19479   P   -1.0419  0.8807  67.7S 121.3E   0             
-----  16  3592 Dec 17  02:22:09  10004  19702   P   -1.0658  0.8404  66.6S   4.7W   0             
-----  17  3610 Dec 28  10:13:14  10209  19925   P   -1.0844  0.8091  65.5S 131.8W   0             
-----  18  3629 Jan 07  18:10:31  10416  20148   P   -1.0987  0.7853  64.5S 100.0E   0             
-----  19  3647 Jan 19  02:11:07  10625  20371   P   -1.1102  0.7662  63.6S  28.7W   0             
-----  20  3665 Jan 29  10:14:28  10836  20594   P   -1.1198  0.7505  62.8S 157.8W   0             
-----  21  3683 Feb 09  18:18:02  11049  20817   P   -1.1295  0.7347  62.2S  73.3E   0             
-----  22  3701 Feb 21  02:21:52  11264  21040   P   -1.1393  0.7188  61.7S  55.5W   0             
-----  23  3719 Mar 04  10:21:32  11482  21263   P   -1.1528  0.6968  61.3S 176.8E   0             

-----  24  3737 Mar 14  18:18:50  11701  21486   P   -1.1685  0.6711  61.2S  49.8E   0             
-----  25  3755 Mar 26  02:09:40  11922  21709   P   -1.1895  0.6364  61.2S  75.5W   0             
-----  26  3773 Apr 05  09:55:38  12146  21932   P   -1.2147  0.5944  61.4S 160.3E   0             
-----  27  3791 Apr 16  17:33:03  12372  22155   P   -1.2472  0.5397  61.7S  38.2E   0             
-----  28  3809 Apr 28  01:04:59  12599  22378   P   -1.2842  0.4766  62.2S  82.6W   0             
-----  29  3827 May 09  08:28:51  12829  22601   P   -1.3282  0.4009  62.8S 158.4E   0             
-----  30  3845 May 19  15:45:54  13061  22824   P   -1.3779  0.3146  63.6S  40.9E   0             
-----  31  3863 May 30  22:55:59  13295  23047   P   -1.4333  0.2176  64.5S  75.1W   0             
-----  32  3881 Jun 10  06:01:02  13531  23270   Pe  -1.4930  0.1120  65.4S 169.8E   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