The Mathematics of Prediction

Thanks to the rigorous understanding of orbital mechanics, astronomers can predict the precise path, duration, and timing of eclipses centuries in advance. The Saros cycle, a period of approximately 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours, has been used since ancient Babylon to predict eclipses.

As the moon slowly drifts further from the Earth (about 3.8 cm per year), the apparent size of the moon in our sky is shrinking. While total solar eclipses will continue for the next century and far beyond, in about 600 million years, the moon will no longer appear large enough to completely cover the sun, putting an end to total solar eclipses on Earth.