The ancients were able to predict eclipses. That’s because they aren’t random. Rather, they are periodic. They occur in cycles.

The current eclipse is part of Saros Series 139. A saros is 6585.3 days long which is 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours. Eclipses separated by one saros have a similar geometry. A series will typically last 12 to 13 centuries and contain 70 to 80 eclipses. This particular series began on May 17th in 1501 and will end on July 3rd in 2753. Saros Series 139 is 1262.11 years long.

Saros was a Greek word chosen by Edmund Halley to represent 222 lunar months (another way to express 6585.3 days).

Here at home it was just a wee bite. You had to travel to see the total eclipse. I hope the eclipse-chasers got to experience totality, wherever they were.