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Saros cycle facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Saros 136 animation
Solar eclipses occurring near the Moon's descending node are given even saros series numbers. The first eclipse of each series starts at the southern limb of the Earth and the eclipse's path is shifted northward with each successive saros.

The Saros cycle is an eclipse cycle of about 18 years 11 days 8 hours (about 6585⅓ days). A solar eclipse 18 years past will be similar with one 18 years in the future. This is because the Earth, Moon and Sun return to almost the same positions they were at 18 years ago. The first predictions of a solar eclipse using the Saros were made by Greek philosophers.

Images for kids

  • Manual2021-X MOUSSAS SAROS

    Antikythera Mechanism Saros cycle for the prediction of eclipses ΣΚΓ′, in the red rectangle, and means 223 months. Written between 150 and 100 BC

  • Saros15122015

    Visualization of a period of one saros cycle in 3D.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Saros para niños

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Saros cycle Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.