According to ScienceNews there will be 15 total solar eclipses between the years 2024 and 2044. NASA tells us that there were or will be about 12000 solar eclipses, 3200 of which will be total, in the 5000 years between 2000 BC and 3000 AD. Apparently the reason for the excitement in this case is that the phenomenon will be visible over a large stretch of the most heavily populated area of the US on April 8.
Fine. A somewhat unusual but very predictable astronomical event is going to occur that people may wish to witness in real time with their own eyes, albeit eyes protected from the sun's harmful rays. But, it's only unusual in that it doesn't happen as often as other solar and lunar events. After all, we do see the sun every day and under favorable circumstances the moon is visible every night as well.
A more spectacular astronomical event was the unpredicted transit of comet Hale-Bopp in 1997. Nothing so impressive had been observed since 1811 and no one knows if or when a similar encounter will occur.
Sophisticated societies of the distant past, the Mayas for instance, were also able to accurately predict eclipses. What would have been exciting to them, and the current world's population, is if the predicted eclipse failed to occur on schedule.
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