EclipseWise - Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

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 72

The table below lists the concise characteristics of every solar eclipse belonging to Saros 72 . 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 72
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	-37	-0727-Aug-16	03:49:46	20598	518	-33721	Pb	t-	-1.5440	0.0207	62S	154E	0	-	-
2	-36	-0709-Aug-27	11:16:04	20307	511	-33498	P	t-	-1.4933	0.1096	61S	32E	0	-	-
3	-35	-0691-Sep-06	18:54:07	20018	504	-33275	P	t-	-1.4510	0.1839	61S	93W	0	-	-
4	-34	-0673-Sep-18	02:41:00	19731	497	-33052	P	t-	-1.4147	0.2475	61S	141E	0	-	-
5	-33	-0655-Sep-28	10:39:42	19446	490	-32829	P	t-	-1.3868	0.2963	61S	11E	0	-	-
6	-32	-0637-Oct-09	18:46:14	19163	483	-32606	P	t-	-1.3644	0.3356	61S	120W	0	-	-
7	-31	-0619-Oct-20	03:01:40	18883	476	-32383	P	t-	-1.3485	0.3633	61S	106E	0	-	-
8	-30	-0601-Oct-31	11:23:18	18604	469	-32160	P	t-	-1.3368	0.3836	61S	29W	0	-	-
9	-29	-0583-Nov-10	19:51:22	18329	462	-31937	P	t-	-1.3300	0.3953	62S	166W	0	-	-
10	-28	-0565-Nov-22	04:21:51	18055	455	-31714	P	t-	-1.3243	0.4051	63S	56E	0	-	-
11	-27	-0547-Dec-02	12:54:23	17781	448	-31491	P	t-	-1.3195	0.4131	63S	83W	0	-	-
12	-26	-0529-Dec-13	21:26:45	17512	441	-31268	P	t-	-1.3141	0.4224	64S	138E	0	-	-
13	-25	-0511-Dec-24	05:58:27	17244	434	-31045	P	t-	-1.3078	0.4331	65S	1W	0	-	-
14	-24	-0492-Jan-04	14:25:33	16956	428	-30822	P	t-	-1.2970	0.4521	66S	139W	0	-	-
15	-23	-0474-Jan-14	22:49:04	16644	421	-30599	P	t-	-1.2827	0.4775	68S	83E	0	-	-
16	-22	-0456-Jan-26	07:05:57	16332	414	-30376	P	t-	-1.2623	0.5143	69S	54W	0	-	-
17	-21	-0438-Feb-05	15:17:49	16036	408	-30153	P	t-	-1.2370	0.5603	70S	170E	0	-	-
18	-20	-0420-Feb-16	23:20:51	15747	401	-29930	P	t-	-1.2040	0.6211	70S	35E	0	-	-
19	-19	-0402-Feb-27	07:18:27	15458	395	-29707	P	t-	-1.1658	0.6923	71S	99W	0	-	-
20	-18	-0384-Mar-09	15:07:24	15188	389	-29484	P	t-	-1.1197	0.7789	72S	129E	0	-	-
21	-17	-0366-Mar-20	22:50:52	14919	382	-29261	P	t-	-1.0683	0.8765	72S	2W	0	-	-
22	-16	-0348-Mar-31	06:26:34	14652	376	-29038	P	t-	-1.0098	0.9885	72S	131W	0	-	-
23	-15	-0330-Apr-11	13:58:07	14401	370	-28815	T	t-	-0.9469	1.0360	60S	65E	18	382	02m28s
24	-14	-0312-Apr-21	21:24:19	14150	364	-28592	T	t-	-0.8790	1.0438	49S	62W	28	306	03m20s
25	-13	-0294-May-03	04:47:01	13904	357	-28369	T	p-	-0.8073	1.0505	38S	179E	36	282	04m11s
26	-12	-0276-May-13	12:07:28	13666	351	-28146	T	p-	-0.7329	1.0559	29S	62E	43	270	04m57s
27	-11	-0258-May-24	19:26:59	13429	345	-27923	T	p-	-0.6569	1.0605	21S	53W	49	263	05m37s
28	-10	-0240-Jun-04	02:47:12	13199	339	-27700	T	p-	-0.5809	1.0641	14S	166W	54	258	06m08s
29	-9	-0222-Jun-15	10:08:08	12974	333	-27477	T	p-	-0.5048	1.0668	7S	80E	60	253	06m28s
30	-8	-0204-Jun-25	17:32:44	12749	328	-27254	T	p-	-0.4311	1.0685	2S	33W	64	248	06m36s
31	-7	-0186-Jul-07	01:00:50	12535	322	-27031	T	n-	-0.3596	1.0695	3N	147W	69	242	06m35s
32	-6	-0168-Jul-17	08:34:02	12324	316	-26808	T	n-	-0.2919	1.0695	6N	99E	73	236	06m25s
33	-5	-0150-Jul-28	16:13:01	12113	310	-26585	T	n-	-0.2288	1.0689	8N	16W	77	230	06m11s
34	-4	-0132-Aug-07	23:59:35	11912	305	-26362	T	n-	-0.1716	1.0676	8N	133W	80	224	05m53s
35	-3	-0114-Aug-19	07:53:40	11712	299	-26139	T	n-	-0.1205	1.0658	8N	108E	83	216	05m36s
36	-2	-0096-Aug-29	15:55:18	11513	293	-25916	T	nn	-0.0754	1.0636	7N	13W	86	209	05m18s
37	-1	-0078-Sep-10	00:05:25	11320	288	-25693	T	nn	-0.0374	1.0611	5N	136W	88	201	05m02s
38	0	-0060-Sep-20	08:23:47	11126	283	-25470	T	nn	-0.0063	1.0584	2N	99E	90	192	04m48s
39	1	-0042-Oct-01	16:49:55	10936	277	-25247	T	nn	0.0184	1.0558	1S	29W	89	184	04m35s
40	2	-0024-Oct-12	01:23:02	10750	272	-25024	T	nn	0.0371	1.0532	5S	158W	88	176	04m25s

Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
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	3	-0006-Oct-23	10:02:48	10564	266	-24801	T	nn	0.0504	1.0509	8S	71E	87	169	04m17s
42	4	0012-Nov-02	18:48:23	10384	261	-24578	Tm	-n	0.0588	1.0488	12S	61W	87	162	04m11s
43	5	0030-Nov-14	03:37:12	10207	256	-24355	T	-n	0.0642	1.0473	15S	167E	86	158	04m08s
44	6	0048-Nov-24	12:29:56	10030	251	-24132	T	-n	0.0665	1.0461	17S	33E	86	154	04m07s
45	7	0066-Dec-05	21:22:56	9856	246	-23909	T	-n	0.0682	1.0454	19S	100W	86	152	04m08s
46	8	0084-Dec-16	06:16:22	9682	241	-23686	T	-n	0.0697	1.0451	20S	127E	86	151	04m10s
47	9	0102-Dec-27	15:06:02	9509	236	-23463	T	-n	0.0741	1.0454	19S	5W	86	152	04m15s
48	10	0121-Jan-06	23:53:52	9337	231	-23240	T	-n	0.0800	1.0460	18S	137W	86	154	04m20s
49	11	0139-Jan-18	08:35:33	9165	226	-23017	T	-n	0.0904	1.0469	16S	92E	85	157	04m27s
50	12	0157-Jan-28	17:11:35	8993	221	-22794	T	-n	0.1057	1.0482	12S	37W	84	161	04m34s
51	13	0175-Feb-09	01:39:10	8821	216	-22571	T	-n	0.1276	1.0495	8S	165W	83	166	04m41s
52	14	0193-Feb-19	09:59:56	8649	212	-22348	T	-n	0.1550	1.0509	3S	68E	81	171	04m47s
53	15	0211-Mar-02	18:11:23	8477	207	-22125	T	-n	0.1898	1.0521	3N	57W	79	176	04m51s
54	16	0229-Mar-13	02:14:21	8305	202	-21902	T	-n	0.2311	1.0532	10N	180E	77	180	04m52s
55	17	0247-Mar-24	10:08:23	8133	198	-21679	T	-n	0.2794	1.0538	17N	58E	74	185	04m50s
56	18	0265-Apr-03	17:54:42	7962	193	-21456	T	-n	0.3340	1.0540	24N	61W	70	189	04m44s
57	19	0283-Apr-15	01:32:42	7790	189	-21233	T	-p	0.3949	1.0537	32N	178W	67	193	04m32s
58	20	0301-Apr-25	09:04:03	7617	185	-21010	T	-p	0.4609	1.0526	40N	66E	62	196	04m16s
59	21	0319-May-06	16:28:57	7444	180	-20787	T	-p	0.5317	1.0508	48N	47W	58	199	03m56s
60	22	0337-May-16	23:49:52	7270	176	-20564	T	-p	0.6052	1.0481	56N	158W	52	201	03m31s
61	23	0355-May-28	07:05:26	7095	172	-20341	T	-p	0.6825	1.0446	65N	95E	47	204	03m04s
62	24	0373-Jun-07	14:20:04	6917	167	-20118	T	-p	0.7599	1.0401	73N	8W	40	208	02m36s
63	25	0391-Jun-18	21:32:09	6740	163	-19895	T	-t	0.8388	1.0346	80N	94W	33	216	02m06s
64	26	0409-Jun-29	04:46:10	6562	159	-19672	T	-t	0.9151	1.0279	82N	135W	23	239	01m35s
65	27	0427-Jul-10	11:59:15	6382	155	-19449	T	-t	0.9912	1.0181	69N	167E	6	570	00m55s
66	28	0445-Jul-20	19:16:46	6203	151	-19226	P	-t	1.0628	0.8844	63N	56E	0	-	-
67	29	0463-Aug-01	02:36:28	6026	147	-19003	P	-t	1.1316	0.7555	63N	64W	0	-	-
68	30	0481-Aug-11	10:01:51	5851	143	-18780	P	-t	1.1947	0.6386	62N	175E	0	-	-
69	31	0499-Aug-22	17:31:45	5675	139	-18557	P	-t	1.2531	0.5316	61N	53E	0	-	-
70	32	0517-Sep-02	01:09:19	5499	136	-18334	P	-t	1.3042	0.4391	61N	71W	0	-	-
71	33	0535-Sep-13	08:53:19	5323	132	-18111	P	-t	1.3492	0.3587	61N	164E	0	-	-
72	34	0553-Sep-23	16:44:07	5148	128	-17888	P	-t	1.3879	0.2906	61N	37E	0	-	-
73	35	0571-Oct-05	00:42:03	4976	125	-17665	P	-t	1.4199	0.2351	61N	92W	0	-	-
74	36	0589-Oct-15	08:47:01	4804	121	-17442	P	-t	1.4452	0.1920	61N	137E	0	-	-
75	37	0607-Oct-26	16:58:11	4633	118	-17219	P	-t	1.4650	0.1588	62N	5E	0	-	-
76	38	0625-Nov-06	01:13:51	4465	114	-16996	P	-t	1.4804	0.1336	62N	129W	0	-	-
77	39	0643-Nov-17	09:34:03	4296	111	-16773	P	-t	1.4915	0.1157	63N	96E	0	-	-
78	40	0661-Nov-27	17:56:41	4130	107	-16550	P	-t	1.5000	0.1026	64N	39W	0	-	-
79	41	0679-Dec-09	02:19:52	3965	104	-16327	P	-t	1.5071	0.0914	65N	176W	0	-	-
80	42	0697-Dec-19	10:42:10	3800	101	-16104	P	-t	1.5143	0.0800	66N	48E	0	-	-

Catalog of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
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
81	43	0715-Dec-30	19:01:51	3643	97	-15881	P	-t	1.5227	0.0663	67N	88W	0	-	-
82	44	0734-Jan-10	03:16:53	3487	94	-15658	P	-t	1.5340	0.0472	68N	137E	0	-	-
83	45	0752-Jan-21	11:25:17	3332	91	-15435	Pe	-t	1.5499	0.0202	69N	2E	0	-	-

Statistics for Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

Solar eclipses of Saros 72 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 -0727 Aug 16. The series ended with a partial eclipse in the northern hemisphere on 0752 Jan 21. The total duration of Saros series 72 is 1478.47 years.

Summary of Saros 72

First Eclipse	-0727 Aug 16
Last Eclipse	0752 Jan 21
Series Duration	1478.47 Years
No. of Eclipses	83
Sequence	22P 43T 18P

Saros 72 is composed of 83 solar eclipses as follows:

Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
Eclipse Type	Symbol	Number	Percent
All Eclipses	-	83	100.0%
Partial	P	40	48.2%
Annular	A	0	0.0%
Total	T	43	51.8%
Hybrid	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 72 appears in the following table.

Umbral Eclipses of Saros 72
Classification	Number	Percent
All Umbral Eclipses	43	100.0%
Central (two limits)	43	100.0%
Central (one limit)	0	0.0%
Non-Central (one limit)	0	0.0%

The 83 eclipses in Saros 72 occur in the following order : 22P 43T 18P

The longest and shortest central eclipses of Saros 72 as well as largest and smallest partial eclipses appear below.

Extreme Durations and Magnitudes of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72
Extrema Type	Date	Duration	Magnitude
Longest Total Solar Eclipse	-0204 Jun 25	06m36s	-
Shortest Total Solar Eclipse	0427 Jul 10	00m55s	-
Largest Partial Solar Eclipse	-0348 Mar 31	-	0.98847
Smallest Partial Solar Eclipse	0752 Jan 21	-	0.02023

Panorama of Solar Eclipses of Saros 72

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.