The periodicity and recurrence of eclipses can be investigated using the Saros cycle, a period of approximately 6,585.32 days (~18 years 11 days 8 hours). It was known to the Chaldeans as an interval when lunar eclipses appeared to repeat, but the Saros is applicable to solar eclipses as well.

The Saros arises from a harmonic between three of the Moon’s orbital cycles. All three periods are subject to slow variations over long time scales, but their current values (2000 CE) are:
Synodic Month (New Moon to New Moon) = 29.530589 days = 29d 12h 44m
Draconic Month (node to node) = 27.212221 days = 27d 05h 06m
Anomalistic Month (perigee to perigee) = 27.554550 days = 27d 13h 19m

One Saros is equal to 223 synodic months, however, 242 draconic months and 239 anomalistic months are also equal (within a few hours) to this same period:
223 Synodic Months = 6585.3223 days = 6585d 07h 43m
242 Draconic Months = 6585.3575 days = 6585d 08h 35m
239 Anomalistic Months = 6585.5375 days = 6585d 12h 54m

Any two eclipses separated by one Saros cycle share similar characteristics. They occur at the same node with the Moon at nearly the same distance from Earth and at the same time of year. Because the Saros period is not equal to a whole number of days, its biggest drawback as an eclipse predictor is that subsequent eclipses are visible from different parts of the globe. The extra 1/3 day displacement means that Earth must rotate an additional ~8 hours or ~120° with each cycle. For solar eclipses, this results in a shift of each succeeding eclipse path by ~120° west. Thus, a Saros series returns to approximately the same geographic region every three Saros periods (~54 years and 34 days). This triple Saros cycle is known as the Exeligmos. [1]

the universe is forgetting you

and I am remembering you

but not because I am caring

the beginning is moments ago

the end is moments away

goodbye, little creature