EclipseWise - Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120

Introduction

A solar eclipse occurs whenever the Moon's shadow passes across Earth's surface. At least two solar eclipses and as many as five occur every year.

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 with the Moon at nearly the same distance from Earth and the same time of year due to a harmonic in three cycles of the Moon's orbit. 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 eclipses before ending with a group of partial eclipses near the opposite pole. For more information, see Periodicity of Solar Eclipses.

Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120

The table below lists the concise characteristics of every solar eclipse belonging to Saros 120 . The date and time of each eclipse is given for the instant of Greatest Eclipse. For eclipses between the years -1999 to 3000, the calendar date links to a web page containing additional details and a map showing the geographic region of eclipse visibility for that eclipse. A description of each parameter in the catalog table can be found in Key to Saros Catalog of Solar Eclipses.

Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120
Seq Num	Rel Num	Calendar Date	TD of Greatest Eclipse	ΔT s	ΔT Sigma s	Luna Num	Ecl Type	QLE	Gamma	Ecl Mag	Lat °	Long °	Sun Alt °	Path Width km	Central Dur
1	-33	0933-May-27	04:10:35	1961	63	-13192	Pb	t-	-1.5259	0.0629	68S	132E	0	-	-
2	-32	0951-Jun-07	10:33:30	1843	60	-12969	P	t-	-1.4415	0.2072	67S	25E	0	-	-
3	-31	0969-Jun-17	16:54:20	1736	58	-12746	P	t-	-1.3547	0.3557	66S	81W	0	-	-
4	-30	0987-Jun-28	23:17:25	1628	55	-12523	P	t-	-1.2690	0.5023	65S	173E	0	-	-
5	-29	1005-Jul-09	05:42:12	1525	53	-12300	P	t-	-1.1838	0.6480	64S	66E	0	-	-
6	-28	1023-Jul-20	12:11:24	1434	51	-12077	P	t-	-1.1016	0.7882	63S	41W	0	-	-
7	-27	1041-Jul-30	18:45:38	1343	48	-11854	P	t-	-1.0227	0.9221	62S	149W	0	-	-
8	-26	1059-Aug-11	01:27:25	1257	46	-11631	A	t-	-0.9494	0.9337	50S	126E	18	776	06m10s
9	-25	1077-Aug-21	08:17:06	1177	44	-11408	A	t-	-0.8818	0.9344	44S	27E	28	502	06m21s
10	-24	1095-Sep-01	15:14:34	1096	42	-11185	A	p-	-0.8198	0.9343	41S	76W	35	414	06m24s
11	-23	1113-Sep-11	22:22:37	1025	40	-10962	A	p-	-0.7659	0.9336	41S	178E	40	373	06m24s
12	-22	1131-Sep-23	05:39:50	957	38	-10739	A	p-	-0.7189	0.9328	41S	69E	44	351	06m24s
13	-21	1149-Oct-03	13:08:07	889	36	-10516	A	p-	-0.6803	0.9320	43S	43W	47	339	06m24s
14	-20	1167-Oct-14	20:44:38	832	34	-10293	A	p-	-0.6478	0.9313	45S	156W	49	332	06m24s
15	-19	1185-Oct-25	04:31:53	775	32	-10070	A	p-	-0.6234	0.9308	48S	88E	51	328	06m24s
16	-18	1203-Nov-05	12:25:50	719	30	-9847	A	p-	-0.6038	0.9307	51S	28W	53	323	06m23s
17	-17	1221-Nov-15	20:27:24	669	29	-9624	A	p-	-0.5901	0.9310	54S	145W	54	319	06m20s
18	-16	1239-Nov-27	04:33:32	619	27	-9401	A	p-	-0.5795	0.9318	56S	98E	54	313	06m16s
19	-15	1257-Dec-07	12:44:33	574	25	-9178	A	p-	-0.5726	0.9332	58S	19W	55	305	06m09s
20	-14	1275-Dec-18	20:56:30	534	24	-8955	A	p-	-0.5657	0.9352	58S	135W	55	294	06m00s
21	-13	1293-Dec-29	05:09:08	495	22	-8732	A	p-	-0.5589	0.9379	57S	108E	56	279	05m48s
22	-12	1312-Jan-09	13:20:00	461	21	-8509	A	p-	-0.5500	0.9413	54S	10W	56	261	05m33s
23	-11	1330-Jan-19	21:28:45	429	20	-8286	A	p-	-0.5392	0.9452	51S	129W	57	240	05m16s
24	-10	1348-Jan-31	05:31:32	397	20	-8063	A	p-	-0.5226	0.9499	46S	112E	58	216	04m55s
25	-9	1366-Feb-10	13:29:52	368	20	-7840	A	p-	-0.5017	0.9549	41S	7W	60	189	04m32s
26	-8	1384-Feb-21	21:20:42	339	20	-7617	A	p-	-0.4738	0.9606	35S	126W	62	162	04m05s
27	-7	1402-Mar-04	05:06:36	312	20	-7394	A	p-	-0.4410	0.9665	28S	116E	64	134	03m34s
28	-6	1420-Mar-14	12:42:55	289	20	-7171	A	p-	-0.3995	0.9727	21S	0W	66	106	02m59s
29	-5	1438-Mar-25	20:14:21	265	20	-6948	A	p-	-0.3529	0.9790	14S	115W	69	80	02m21s
30	-4	1456-Apr-05	03:37:12	244	20	-6725	A	p-	-0.2980	0.9853	7S	131E	73	54	01m40s
31	-3	1474-Apr-16	10:55:46	224	20	-6502	A	n-	-0.2387	0.9916	0S	20E	76	30	00m58s
32	-2	1492-Apr-26	18:07:08	205	20	-6279	A	nn	-0.1723	0.9976	7N	90W	80	8	00m16s
33	-1	1510-May-08	01:16:14	186	20	-6056	H	nn	-0.1030	1.0033	14N	161E	84	12	00m22s
34	0	1528-May-18	08:21:04	168	20	-5833	H	nn	-0.0290	1.0085	20N	55E	88	29	00m56s
35	1	1546-May-29	15:24:38	151	20	-5610	H	nn	0.0470	1.0133	26N	51W	87	46	01m24s
36	2	1564-Jun-08	22:26:47	139	20	-5387	H2	nn	0.1252	1.0174	31N	155W	83	60	01m44s
37	3	1582-Jun-20	05:30:26	128	20	-5164	T	nn	0.2031	1.0210	35N	101E	78	73	01m59s
38	4	1600-Jul-10	12:35:57	117	20	-4941	T	-n	0.2803	1.0238	38N	3W	74	84	02m08s
39	5	1618-Jul-21	19:44:29	91	17	-4718	T	-n	0.3558	1.0260	40N	106W	69	94	02m13s
40	6	1636-Aug-01	02:58:15	65	15	-4495	T	-p	0.4279	1.0275	41N	149E	64	103	02m15s

Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120
Seq Num	Rel Num	Calendar Date	TD of Greatest Eclipse	ΔT s	ΔT Sigma s	Luna Num	Ecl Type	QLE	Gamma	Ecl Mag	Lat °	Long °	Sun Alt °	Path Width km	Central Dur
41	7	1654-Aug-12	10:17:43	42	12	-4272	T	-p	0.4962	1.0285	42N	42E	60	110	02m16s
42	8	1672-Aug-22	17:44:06	22	9	-4049	T	-p	0.5593	1.0288	41N	66W	56	117	02m15s
43	9	1690-Sep-03	01:17:46	9	6	-3826	T	-p	0.6173	1.0287	40N	177W	52	122	02m13s
44	10	1708-Sep-14	09:00:22	9	5	-3603	T	-p	0.6685	1.0281	39N	68E	48	126	02m10s
45	11	1726-Sep-25	16:51:44	10	4	-3380	T	-p	0.7133	1.0273	38N	49W	44	129	02m07s
46	12	1744-Oct-06	00:51:23	12	3	-3157	T	-p	0.7521	1.0263	37N	169W	41	132	02m04s
47	13	1762-Oct-17	09:00:34	15	2	-2934	T	-p	0.7836	1.0253	36N	68E	38	135	02m02s
48	14	1780-Oct-27	17:18:27	16	2	-2711	T	-p	0.8083	1.0244	36N	59W	36	138	02m00s
49	15	1798-Nov-08	01:44:38	14	1	-2488	T	-p	0.8270	1.0237	35N	172E	34	141	01m59s
50	16	1816-Nov-19	10:17:22	12	1	-2265	T	-p	0.8407	1.0233	35N	41E	33	144	02m00s
51	17	1834-Nov-30	18:56:35	6	1	-2042	T	-p	0.8497	1.0233	35N	92W	32	150	02m02s
52	18	1852-Dec-11	03:40:44	7	1	-1819	T	-p	0.8551	1.0237	35N	134E	31	156	02m05s
53	19	1870-Dec-22	12:27:33	0	0	-1596	T	-p	0.8585	1.0248	36N	2W	31	165	02m11s
54	20	1889-Jan-01	21:16:50	-6	0	-1373	T	-p	0.8603	1.0262	37N	138W	30	175	02m17s
55	21	1907-Jan-14	06:05:43	6	0	-1150	T	-p	0.8628	1.0281	38N	86E	30	189	02m25s
56	22	1925-Jan-24	14:54:03	24	0	-927	T	-p	0.8661	1.0304	40N	50W	30	206	02m32s
57	23	1943-Feb-04	23:38:10	26	0	-704	T	-p	0.8734	1.0331	44N	175E	29	229	02m39s
58	24	1961-Feb-15	08:19:48	34	0	-481	T	-p	0.8830	1.0360	47N	40E	28	258	02m45s
59	25	1979-Feb-26	16:55:06	50	0	-258	T	-p	0.8981	1.0391	52N	94W	26	298	02m49s
60	26	1997-Mar-09	01:24:51	62	0	-35	T	-p	0.9183	1.0420	58N	131E	23	356	02m50s
61	27	2015-Mar-20	09:46:47	68	0	188	T	-t	0.9454	1.0446	64N	7W	18	463	02m47s
62	28	2033-Mar-30	18:02:36	74	3	411	T	-t	0.9778	1.0462	71N	156W	11	781	02m37s
63	29	2051-Apr-11	02:10:39	83	9	634	P	-t	1.0169	0.9849	72N	32E	0	-	-
64	30	2069-Apr-21	10:11:09	95	18	857	P	-t	1.0624	0.8992	71N	101W	0	-	-
65	31	2087-May-02	18:04:42	109	29	1080	P	-t	1.1140	0.8010	70N	127E	0	-	-
66	32	2105-May-14	01:52:06	126	41	1303	P	-t	1.1708	0.6921	69N	2W	0	-	-
67	33	2123-May-25	09:33:27	145	55	1526	P	-t	1.2325	0.5729	68N	129W	0	-	-
68	34	2141-Jun-04	17:09:59	167	70	1749	P	-t	1.2981	0.4458	67N	106E	0	-	-
69	35	2159-Jun-16	00:42:43	191	87	1972	P	-t	1.3668	0.3124	66N	18W	0	-	-
70	36	2177-Jun-26	08:13:27	218	104	2195	P	-t	1.4371	0.1758	66N	140W	0	-	-
71	37	2195-Jul-07	15:41:21	248	123	2418	Pe	-t	1.5095	0.0353	65N	98E	0	-	-

Statistics for Solar Eclipses of Saros 120

Solar eclipses of Saros 120 all occur at the Moon’s descending node and the Moon moves northward with each eclipse. The series began with a partial eclipse in the southern hemisphere on 0933 May 27. The series will end with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 2195 Jul 07. The total duration of Saros series 120 is 1262.11 years.

Summary of Saros 120

First Eclipse	0933 May 27
Last Eclipse	2195 Jul 07
Series Duration	1262.11 Years
No. of Eclipses	71
Sequence	7P 25A 4H 26T 9P

Saros 120 is composed of 71 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 120
Eclipse Type	Symbol	Number	Percent
All Eclipses	-	71	100.0%
Partial	P	16	22.5%
Annular	A	25	35.2%
Total	T	26	36.6%
Hybrid	H	4	5.6%

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 120 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 120
Classification	Number	Percent
All Umbral Eclipses	55	100.0%
Central (two limits)	55	100.0%
Central (one limit)	0	0.0%
Non-Central (one limit)	0	0.0%

The 71 eclipses in Saros 120 occur in the following order : 7P 25A 4H 26T 9P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 120 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses appear below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120
Extrema Type	Date	Duration	Magnitude
Longest Annular Solar Eclipse	1113 Sep 11	06m24s	-
Shortest Annular Solar Eclipse	1492 Apr 26	00m16s	-
Longest Total Solar Eclipse	1997 Mar 09	02m50s	-
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse	1582 Jun 20	01m59s	-
Longest Hybrid Solar Eclipse	1564 Jun 08	01m44s	-
Shortest Hybrid Solar Eclipse	1510 May 08	00m22s	-
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse	2051 Apr 11	-	0.98490
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse	2195 Jul 07	-	0.03535

Panorama of Solar Eclipses of Saros 120

Catalog of Saros Series of Solar Eclipses

Links to Additional Solar Eclipse Predictions

Home - home page of EclipseWise with predictions for both solar and lunar eclipses

Solar Eclipses - primary page for solar eclipse predictions
Solar Eclipse Links - detailed directory of links
Solar Eclipse Basics - a primer on solar eclipses

Catalog of Solar Eclipse Saros Series - covers Saros series -30 through 190
Six Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses - from -2999 to +3000 (3000 BCE to 3000 CE)
World Atlas of Solar Eclipse Maps - index page for world eclipse maps covering 5 millennia
Javascript Solar Eclipse Explorer - calculate all solar eclipses visible from a city

Thousand Year Canon of Solar Eclipses 1501 to 2500 - link to the publication

MrEclipse.com - eclipse resources and tips on photography
Solar Eclipses for Beginners - a primer on solar eclipse basics
How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse - instructions for imaging an eclipse of the Sun
MrEclipse Photo Index - an index of solar eclipse photographs

Eclipse Publications

by Fred Espenak

Calendar

The Gregorian calendar (also called the Western calendar) is internationally the most widely used civil calendar. It is named for Pope Gregory XIII, who introduced it in 1582. On this website, the Gregorian calendar is used for all calendar 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..

Eclipse Predictions

The eclipse predictions presented here were generated using the JPL DE406 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates have been calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass.

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:

pre-1950's: ΔT calculated from empirical fits to historical records derived by Morrison and Stephenson (2004)
1955-present: ΔT obtained from published observations
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 -2999 to +3000. The uncertainty in ΔT over this period can be estimated from scatter in the measurements.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this web site is based on the books Five Millennium Canon of Solar Eclipses: -1999 to +3000 and Thousand Year Canon of Solar Eclipses 1501 to 2500. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.