eclipse year

(astronomy) The interval between two successive conjunctions of the sun with the same node of the moon's orbit, equal to 346.62 days. Also known as draconic year; nodical year.

astronomy The period over which the intersection line with the ecliptic of the tilted orbit of the Moon passes, in the one bearing, through the Sun, i.e. akin to the equinoctial year of the tilted equatorial plane. However, the gravitational influence of the Sun causes the lunar orbital plane to gyrate relatively quickly, making this period only 346.620 05~ mean solar days. Since eclipses, of the Sun by the intrusive Moon and of the Moon by shadowing Earth, depend on near alignment of the three bodies, the (half) eclipse year is crucial, along with the synodic month, for recurrence of eclipses. See also saros.