Eclipse Trivia - The Maximum Duration of a Total Solar Eclipse

Updated: 23 September 2007

 In his book Mathematical Astronomy Morsels III, Jean Meeus devotes chapter 10 to the maximum possible duration of a total solar eclipse. This maximum varies with time as plotted below. The eclipse of 16 July 2186 will have a duration of 7m29s, close to the theoretical maximum. That eclipse will have the longest totality in the period ranging from 3000 B.C until the year 5000.
 

 

The longest total solar eclipse of the 21st centrury will be on 22 July 2009. Totality will be 6m39s at the maximum.  The total eclipse of 13 June 2132 will be the first to last longer: 6m55s. The eclipse of 11 July 1991 lasted 6m53s.

The table belows shows the eclipse with a totality of more than 7 minutes. Note that there were none between 1098 en 1937. The long eclipse often come in group, each event separated by a Saros period of 18 year and 11 days.
 
-1460 Jun 22 07:04  150 Jun 12 07:13 1937 Jun  8 07:04
-1442 Jul  3 07:05  168 Jun 23 07:03 1955 Jun 20 07:08
-1124 May 28 07:03  327 Jun  6 07:03 1973 Jun 30 07:04
-1106 Jun  9 07:04  345 Jun 16 07:17 2150 Jun 25 07:14
 -779 May 24 07:12  363 Jun 27 07:24 2168 Jul  5 07:26
 -761 Jun  5 07:25  381 Jul  8 07:22 2186 Jul 16 07:29
 -743 Jun 15 07:28  399 Jul 19 07:11 2204 Jul 27 07:22
 -725 Jun 26 07:18  681 May 23 07:10 2222 Aug  8 07:06
 -707 Jul  7 07:00  699 Jun  3 07:17 2504 Jun 14 07:10
 -443 Apr 30 07:01  717 Jun 13 07:15 2522 Jun 25 07:12
 -425 May 12 07:12  735 Jun 25 07:02 2540 Jul  5 07:04
 -407 May 22 07:13 1044 May 29 07:12 2849 Jun 12 07:00
 -389 Jun  2 07:04 1062 Jun  9 07:20 2867 Jun 23 07:10
  114 May 22 07:06 1080 Jun 20 07:18 2885 Jul  3 07:11
  132 Jun  1 07:14 1098 Jul  1 07:05 2903 Jul 16 07:04

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