Solar Eclipses - During the twenty-five year period 1996-2020, some portion of the Moon's shadow will sweep across the Earth a total of fifty-six times. Twenty-one of these events result in partial solar eclipses, seventeen of them are annular eclipses, sixteen more are total eclipses and the remaining two are both annular and total along sections of their narrow paths. Local circumstances at the instant of greatest eclipse1 for every event during this quarter century period are presented in solar.dat. The date and Universal Time of the instant of greatest eclipse are found in the first two columns. The eclipse type is given (T=Total, A=Annular, AT=Annular/Total or P=Partial) along with the Saros series, as defined by van den Bergh (1955). The magnitude of the eclipse is defined as the fraction of the Sun's diameter obscured at greatest eclipse. The latitude and longitude of the umbra are given for the instant of greatest eclipse, along with the Sun's altitude, the width of the path (kilometers) and the duration of totality or annularity. For partial eclipses, the latitude and longitude of the point closest to the umbra's axis at the instant of greatest eclipse are listed. The altitude of the Sun at this location is 0 degrees. Note: Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the axis of the Moon's shadow passes closest to the Earth's center. For total eclipses, the instant of greatest eclipse is virtually identical 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. Lunar Eclipses - During the twenty-five year period 1996-2020, the Moon will swing through some portion of Earth's shadow a total of fifty-eight times. Twenty-three of these events result in penumbral lunar eclipses, twelve of them are partial (umbral) eclipses, twenty-three more are total lunar eclipses. Local circumstances at the instant of greatest eclipse1 for every event during this quarter century period are presented in Table 1. The date and Universal Time of the instant of greatest eclipse are found in the first two columns. The eclipse type is given (T=Total, P=Partial [Umbral], or P=Penumbral) along with the Saros series, as defined by van den Bergh (1955). The penumbral and umbral magnitudes of the eclipse are defined as the fraction of the Moon's diameter obscured by either shadow at greatest eclipse. The partial and total semi-durations of the eclipse along with the Greenwich Siderial Time at midnight, and the Moon's Right Ascension and Declination are listed. The start and end times of the partial eclipse can be calculated by respectively subtacting and adding the partial semi-duration (i.e. - Par. SDur) to the instant of greatest eclipse. Likewise, the start and end times of the total eclipse can be calculated by respectively subtacting and adding the total semi-duration (i.e. - Total SDur) to the instant of greatest eclipse. Note: Greatest eclipse is defined as the instant when the Moon passes closest to the axis of Earth's shadow(s). This marks the instant when the Moon is deepest in Earth's shadow(s).
