A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, October 17, 1986, with an umbral magnitude of 1.2455. 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 5.5 days before apogee (on October 23, 1986, at 6:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse was the last of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 4, 1985; October 28, 1985; and April 24, 1986.
Visibility The eclipse was completely visible over east Africa, eastern Europe, and Asia, seen rising over northeastern North America, eastern South America, western Europe, and west Africa and setting over Australia, northeast Asia, and the western Pacific Ocean.
Eclipse details Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular lunar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
+October 17, 1986 Lunar Eclipse Parameters Parameter Value Penumbral Magnitude 2.30082 Umbral Magnitude 1.24545 Gamma 0.31887 Sun Right Ascension 13h29m20.1s Sun Declination -09°21'26.2" Sun Semi-Diameter 16'03.1" Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 08.8" Moon Right Ascension 01h28m47.0s Moon Declination +09°37'14.9" Moon Semi-Diameter 15'12.6" Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax 0°55'49.1" ΔT 55.2 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 October 1986 October 3Descending node (new moon) October 17Ascending node (full moon) Hybrid solar eclipseSolar Saros 124 Total lunar eclipseLunar Saros 136
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 December 30, 1982 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990
Tzolkinex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993
Half-Saros Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1977 Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995
Tritos Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997
Lunar Saros 136 Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1968 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 2004
Inex Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 7, 1957 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Triad Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 17, 1899 Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 2073
Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987
Metonic series
Saros 136
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 total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 143. October 12, 1977October 24, 1995
See also List of lunar eclipses List of 20th-century lunar eclipses
Notes
External links