A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Thursday, April 24, 1986, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2022. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of Earth. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's shadow is smaller. Occurring about 1.25 days before perigee (on April 25, 1986, at 18:40 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
This lunar eclipse was the third of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 4, 1985; October 28, 1985; and October 17, 1986.
This lunar eclipse darkened the skies sufficiently in Australia to be able to provide a final naked-eye glimpse of Halley's Comet, prior to it subsequently disappearing from view until 2061.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over Australia, east and northeast Asia, Antarctica, and the western and central Pacific Ocean, seen rising over much of Asia and setting over North America and western South America.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+April 24, 1986 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.16203 Umbral Magnitude 1.20217 Gamma −0.36826 Sun Right Ascension 02h07m09.8s Sun Declination +12°52'05.8" Sun Semi-Diameter 15'54.1" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.7" Moon Right Ascension 14h06m30.3s Moon Declination -13°12'18.9" Moon Semi-Diameter 16'34.0" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 1°00'48.0" ΔT 55.0 s
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two (or occasionally three) eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months (173 days) later; thus two full eclipse seasons always occur each year. Either two or three eclipses happen each eclipse season. In the sequence below, each eclipse is separated by a fortnight.
+ Eclipse season of April 1986 April 9Ascending node (new moon) April 24Descending node (full moon) Partial solar eclipseSolar Saros 119 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 131
Related eclipses Eclipses in 1986 A partial solar eclipse on April 9. A total lunar eclipse on April 24. A hybrid solar eclipse on October 3. A total lunar eclipse on October 17.
Metonic Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of July 6, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 9, 1990
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1993
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 18, 1977 Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 29, 1995
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1975 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1997
Lunar Saros 131 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 13, 1968 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 4, 2004
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1957 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 4, 2015
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 23, 1899 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 22, 2073
Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987
Metonic series
Saros 131
Tritos series
Inex series
Half-Saros cycle A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 138. April 18, 1977April 29, 1995
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses Blood Moon Orbit of the Moon
Notes
External links