How often do total solar eclipses occur?

Question

How often do total solar eclipses occur?

Answer 1

Solar eclipses are determined by the combined dynamics of the earth's rotation and the moon's orbit.  They re PREDICTABLE, but not PERIODIC.  That means that you can determine when one will happen, but they do not happen on a regular basis.  So, you cannot answer "how often".  The best you can say is "frequently"

ALSO,  a solar eclipse happens when the earth passes through the moon's shadow. But sometimes the earth does not pass through ALL of the moon's shadow, so we also get partial solar eclipses.

AND  the moons shadow is smaller than the earth, so depending on where you are on the earth, you may see all, part, or none of the eclipse.  For example, the eclipse coming up this Friday can be seen in Greenland and Canada, but not the United States.

How's that for confusing things???

Answer 2

8-1-08 can't be seen from the USA.

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.htm...

Here is the NASA eclipse site.  

Next TOTAL solar eclipse in the USA will be in 2017

http://www.mcglaun.com/eclipse/eclipse20...

Answer 3

According to NASA's Eclipse Web Site there are 3173 total eclipses over the 5000 year span from 2000 BC to 3000 AD. That means that they average about 2 in every 3 years. Some years (such as 2007) have no total eclipses, but it is occasionally possible for there to be 2 in the same year.

Answer 4

I don't know but they are AMAZiNGG (: