Definition of "saros" in English

noun

1. (history, Babylon) A quantity of 3600, such as a period of 3600 years.

2. (astronomy) A period of 223 synodic months (approximately 18 years 11 days 8 hours), after which the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon recur, used to predict eclipses.

   • Suidas’ system (the lunar system) is as follows: reckoning a round 30 days per lunar month, 1 saros ... = 222 lunar months ... rather than 3600 years, as in the solar system, the neros ... being one sixth of that ... instead of 600 years, as in the solar system, and the sossos ... one tenth of a neros ... instead of 60 years