Produced by: Tarun Mishra
On April 8, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America, offering a unique spectacle for viewers.
The eclipse's path, known as the path of totality, will be narrow, spanning just 115 miles wide and crossing Mexico, the U.S., and Canada within a 100-minute duration.
For the 40 million people residing in the path of totality, witnessing the eclipse will be a remarkable experience, likely to occur only once in their lifetime.
Solar eclipses are part of a larger pattern known as Saros cycles, occurring every 18 years, 11 days, and 8 hours, creating near-identical moon shadows on Earth's surface.
The upcoming eclipse on April 8 belongs to Saros 139, which previously caused a total solar eclipse in Africa on March 29, 2006, and will repeat in Asia on April 20, 2042.
Every 54 years and 33 days, a similar path of totality revisits the same part of the globe, a period known as the exeligmos.
Previous instances of Saros 139 have brought total solar eclipses to North America, including on March 7, 1970, and will do so again on May 11, 2078.
Attendee panel closedWhile Saros cycles persist for centuries, they eventually diminish, with Saros 139 expected to peak on July 16, 2186, producing the longest total eclipse in 10,000 years. Understanding Celestial Mechanics: Exploring the cyclical nature of solar eclipses sheds light on the repetitive yet fascinating phenomena observed in the heavens.