The tables available though the links below give the date and time (Universal Time) of all phases of the Moon for the six thousand year period -1999 to +4000 (2000 BCE to 4000 CE). This data is provided primarily to assist in historical research projects. For the year 2000, the length of the mean synodic month (New Moon to New Moon) is 29.530588 days (=29d12h44m03s). However, the length of any one synodic month can vary from 29.26 to 29.80 days due to the perturbing effects of the Sun's gravity on the Moon's eccentric orbit.
Each one hundred-year phase table also indicates when an eclipse of the Sun or Moon takes place. An eclipse of the Sun can occur only at New Moon, while an eclipse of the Moon can occur only at Full Moon.
Historians should note that the astronomical dating system used in these tables includes the year "0" while the traditional BCE - CE dating convention does not. Thus, the year "0" here corresponds to "1 BCE", the year "-100" is "101 BCE", and so on. The old style Julian calendar is used for dates prior to 1582, while the modern Gregorian calendar is used after that date. For more information, see calendar dates
The last column of the phase table lists ΔT, the value used to convert Dynamical Time to Universal Time. The uncertainty in the value of ΔT grows large for dates in the distant past or future.
| Moon Phases Before Common Era (BCE) | |||||
| Links to Century Tables |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -1999 - -1900 | -1899 - -1800 | -1799 - -1700 | -1699 - -1600 | -1599 - -1500 | |
| -1499 - -1400 | -1399 - -1300 | -1299 - -1200 | -1199 - -1100 | -1099 - -1000 | |
| -0999 - -0900 | -0899 - -0800 | -0799 - -0700 | -0699 - -0600 | -0599 - -0500 | |
| -0499 - -0400 | -0399 - -0300 | -0299 - -0200 | -0199 - -0100 | -0099 - 0000 | |
Algorithms used in predicting the phases of the Moon as well as eclipses are based on Jean Meeus' Astronomical Algorithms (Willmann-Bell, Inc., Richmond, 1998). All calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.
Permission is freely granted to reproduce this data when accompanied by an acknowledgment:
"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC"
For more information, see: NASA Copyright Information
