April 1986 lunar eclipse

Last updated
April 1986 lunar eclipse
Total eclipse
Date24 April 1986
Gamma −0.36826
Magnitude 1.20217
Saros cycle 131 (32 of 72)
Totality63 minutes, 34.8 seconds
Partiality198 minutes, 46.8 seconds
Penumbral312 minutes, 42.8 seconds
Contacts (UTC)
P110:06:12.1
U111:03:12.2
U212:10:48.0
Greatest12:42:34.7
U313:14:22.8
U414:21:59.0
P415:18:54.9

A total lunar eclipse took place on Thursday, April 24, 1986, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 1986, the second being on October 17, 1986. The Moon was plunged into darkness for 1 hour, 3 minutes and 34.8 seconds, in a deep total eclipse which saw the Moon 20.217% of its diameter inside the Earth's umbral shadow. The visual effect of this depends on the state of the Earth's atmosphere, but the Moon may have been stained a deep red colour. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 18 minutes and 46.8 seconds in total. The Moon was just 1.2 days before perigee (Perigee on Friday, April 25, 1986), making it 5.3% larger than average.

Contents

Visibility

It is seen rising over eastern Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and western North America and South America, the eclipse is also seen setting over the whole of Europe, Africa and Western Asia. The eclipse was seen very visible over the Philippines, it becomes the first lunar eclipse after the EDSA Revolution since the two lunar eclipses happened between May 4, 1985 and October 28, 1985 and the second followed on October 17, 1986. It also followed on February 20, 1989.

Eclipses in 1986 are:

Partial Solar eclipse of April 9, 1986

Total Lunar Eclipse of April 24, 1986

Hybrid Solar eclipse of October 3, 1986

Total Lunar Eclipse of October 17, 1986 (October 1986 lunar eclipse)

It also followed the passage of Halley's comet in the same year.

Lunar eclipse from moon-1986Apr24.png

Eclipses of 1986

Lunar year series

Lunar eclipse series sets from 1984–1987
Descending node Ascending node
Saros Date
Viewing
Type
Chart
GammaSarosDate
Viewing
Type
Chart
Gamma
111 1984 May 15
Lunar eclipse from moon-1984May15.png
Penumbral
Lunar eclipse chart close-1984May15.png
1.11308116 1984 Nov 08
Lunar eclipse from moon-1984Nov08.png
Penumbral
Lunar eclipse chart close-1984Nov08.png
−1.08998
121 1985 May 04
Lunar eclipse from moon-1985May04.png
Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1985May04.png
0.35197126 1985 Oct 28
Lunar eclipse from moon-1985Oct28.png
Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1985Oct28.png
−0.40218
131 1986 Apr 24
Lunar eclipse from moon-1986Apr24.png
Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1986Apr24.png
−0.36826136 1986 Oct 17
Lunar eclipse from moon-1986Oct17.png
Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1986Oct17.png
0.31887
141 1987 Apr 14
Lunar eclipse from moon-1987Apr14.png
Penumbral
Lunar eclipse chart close-1987Apr14.png
−1.13641146 1987 Oct 07
Lunar eclipse from moon-1987Oct07.png
Penumbral
Lunar eclipse chart close-1987Oct07.png
1.01890
Last set 1984 Jun 13 Last set 1983 Dec 20
Next set 1988 Mar 03 Next set 1988 Aug 27

Saros series

Lunar Saros series 131, has 72 lunar eclipses. Solar Saros 138 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

This eclipse series began in AD 1427 with a partial eclipse at the southern edge of the Earth's shadow when the Moon was close to its descending node. Each successive Saros cycle, the Moon's orbital path is shifted northward with respect to the Earth's shadow, with the first total eclipse occurring in 1950. For the following 252 years, total eclipses occur, with the central eclipse being predicted to occur in 2078. The first partial eclipse after this is predicted to occur in the year 2220, and the final partial eclipse of the series will occur in 2707. The total lifetime of the lunar Saros series 131 is 1280 years. Solar Saros 138 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

Because of the ⅓ fraction of days in a Saros cycle, the visibility of each eclipse will differ for an observer at a given fixed locale. For the lunar Saros series 131, the first total eclipse of 1950 had its best visibility for viewers in Eastern Europe and the Middle East because mid-eclipse was at 20:44 UT. The following eclipse in the series occurred approximately 8 hours later in the day with mid-eclipse at 4:47 UT, and was best seen from North America and South America. The third total eclipse occurred approximately 8 hours later in the day than the second eclipse with mid-eclipse at 12:43 UT, and had its best visibility for viewers in the Western Pacific, East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. This cycle of visibility repeats from the initiation to termination of the series, with minor variations. Solar Saros 138 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

Lunar Saros series 131, repeating every 18 years and 11 days, has a total of 72 lunar eclipse events including 57 umbral lunar eclipses (42 partial lunar eclipses and 15 total lunar eclipses). Solar Saros 138 interleaves with this lunar saros with an event occurring every 9 years 5 days alternating between each saros series.

GreatestFirst
Lunar eclipse chart close-2094Jun28.png
The greatest eclipse of the series will occur on 2094 Jun 28, lasting 102 minutes. [1]
PenumbralPartialTotalCentral
1427 May 101553 July 25 1950 Apr 2 2022 May 16
Last
CentralTotalPartialPenumbral
2148 Jul 312202 Sep 32563 Apr 92707 Jul 7
1901–2100
1914 Mar 12 1932 Mar 22 1950 Apr 2
Lunar eclipse chart close-1914Mar12.png Lunar eclipse from moon-1914Mar12.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1932Mar22.png Lunar eclipse from moon-1932Mar22.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1950Apr02.png Lunar eclipse from moon-1950Apr02.png
1968 Apr 13 1986 Apr 24 2004 May 4
Lunar eclipse chart close-1968Apr13.png Lunar eclipse from moon-1968Apr13.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1986Apr24.png Lunar eclipse from moon-1986Apr24.png Lunar eclipse chart close-04may04.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2004May04.png
2022 May 16 2040 May 26 2058 Jun 6
Lunar eclipse chart close-2022may16.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2022May16.png Lunar eclipse chart close-2040May26.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2040May26.png Lunar eclipse chart close-2058Jun06.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2058Jun06.png
2076 Jun 17 2094 Jun 28
Lunar eclipse chart close-2076Jun17.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2076Jun17.png Lunar eclipse chart close-2094Jun28.png Lunar eclipse from moon-2094Jun28.png

It is the third total lunar eclipse of the series. The next occurrence will be on May 4, 2004. The previous occurrence was April 13, 1968.

Metonic series

This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, April 23–24, each separated by 19 years:

The Metonic cycle repeats nearly exactly every 19 years and represents a Saros cycle plus one lunar year. Because it occurs on the same calendar date, the Earth's shadow will in nearly the same location relative to the background stars.

Metonic lunar eclipse sets 1948–2005
Descending node Ascending node
Saros DateTypeSarosDateType
111 1948 Apr 23 Partial116 1948 Oct 18 Penumbral
Lunar eclipse chart close-1948Apr23.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1948Oct18.png
121 1967 Apr 24 Total126 1967 Oct 18 Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1967Apr24.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1967Oct18.png
131 1986 Apr 24 Total136 1986 Oct 17 Total
Lunar eclipse chart close-1986Apr24.png Lunar eclipse chart close-1986Oct17.png
141 2005 Apr 24 Penumbral146 2005 Oct 17 Partial
Lunar eclipse chart close-05apr24.png Lunar eclipse chart close-2005Oct17.png

Half-Saros cycle

A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros). [2] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 138.

April 18, 1977 April 29, 1995
SE1977Apr18A.png SE1995Apr29A.png

See also

Notes

  1. Listing of Eclipses of cycle 131
  2. Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros


Related Research Articles

The saros is a period of exactly 223 synodic months, approximately 6585.321 days, or 18 years, 10, 11, or 12 days, and 8 hours, that can be used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon. One saros period after an eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon return to approximately the same relative geometry, a near straight line, and a nearly identical eclipse will occur, in what is referred to as an eclipse cycle. A sar is one half of a saros.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August 2007 lunar eclipse</span> Central lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse occurred on 28 August 2007, lasting just over 90 minutes. The Moon entered the Earth's penumbra at 7:53:40 UTC. The first partial phase began in earnest at 8:51:16 UTC when the Moon entered the Earth's umbra. It exited the penumbra at 13:20:57 UTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">November 2003 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse took place on Sunday 9 November 2003, the second of two total lunar eclipses in 2003, the first being on 16 May 2003. It is the first total lunar eclipse of 21st century which happened on a micromoon day. The Moon barely edged into total eclipse for 21 minutes and 58 seconds. With the Moon just 1.78% of its diameter into the Earth's umbral shadow, the Moon may have been quite bright, but even so, this should have been worth seeing. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 31 minutes and 25 seconds. Occurring only 1.4 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was 6.4% smaller than average.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2004 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse 4 May 2004

A total lunar eclipse took place on Tuesday 4 May 2004, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 2004, the second being on 28 October 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 2004 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse 28 October, 2004

A total lunar eclipse took place on Thursday 28 October 2004, the second of two total lunar eclipses in 2004, the first being on 4 May 2004. It was the first lunar eclipse to take place during a World Series game, which when seen from Busch Memorial Stadium in St, Louis, Missouri, provided a surreal sight on the night the Boston Red Sox won their first World Series in 86 years to end the Curse of the Bambino. Occurring 5.6 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller. The Moon was 10.1 days after perigee and 5.6 days before apogee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August 1989 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse August 17, 1989

A total lunar eclipse took place at 0308 UT (GMT) on Thursday, August 17, 1989, the second of two total lunar eclipses in 1989.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2040 lunar eclipse</span> 2040 astronomical phenomenon

A total lunar eclipse will take place on May 26, 2040. The northern limb of the Moon will pass through the center of the Earth's shadow. This is the second central lunar eclipse of Saros series 131. This lunar event will occur near perigee, as a result, it will be referred to as a "super flower blood moon" or "super blood moon", though not quite as close to Earth as the eclipse of May 26, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2029 lunar eclipse</span> Future lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will take place between Monday and Tuesday, June 25-26, 2029. A central total eclipse lasting 1 hour and 41 minutes 53 seconds will plunge the full Moon into deep darkness, as it passes right through the centre of the Earth's umbral shadow. While the visual effect of a total eclipse is variable, the Moon may be stained a deep orange or red color at maximum eclipse. It will be able to be seen from most of the Americas, Western Europe and Africa. The partial eclipse will last for 3 hours and 39 minutes 32 seconds in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2022 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse of 15–16 May 2022

A total lunar eclipse occurred on 15–16 May 2022, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 2022. The event occurred near lunar perigee; as a result, this event was referred to some in media coverage as a "super flower blood moon" and elsewhere as a "super blood moon", a supermoon that coincides with a total lunar eclipse. This was the longest total lunar eclipse visible from nearly all of North America since August 17, 1989 until the next eclipse on November 8.

A total lunar eclipse took place on Friday, August 6, 1971, the second of two total lunar eclipses in 1971. A dramatic total eclipse lasting 1 hour, 39 minutes and 24.8 seconds plunged the full Moon into deep darkness, as it passed right through the centre of the Earth's umbral shadow. While the visual effect of a total eclipse is variable, the Moon may have been stained a deep orange or red colour at maximum eclipse. This was a great spectacle for everyone who saw it. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 35 minutes and 31.9 seconds in total. Occurring only 2.2 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was 3.6% larger than average and the moon passed through the center of the Earth's shadow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September 2025 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse of September 2025.

A total lunar eclipse will take place on 7-8 September 2025. The Moon will barely miss the center of the Earth's shadow. It will be the second of two total lunar eclipses. Occurring roughly 3 days before perigee, the Moon will appear larger than usual.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">April 1968 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse April 13, 1968

A total lunar eclipse took place on Saturday, April 13, 1968, the first of two total eclipses in 1968, the second being on October 6, 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">April 1950 lunar eclipse</span> Total lunar eclipse April 2, 1950

A total lunar eclipse took place on Sunday, April 2, 1950. This was the first total lunar eclipse of Saros cycle 131.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2058 lunar eclipse</span> Astronomical event

A total lunar eclipse will take place on June 6, 2058. The Moon will pass through the center of the Earth's shadow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">July 2083 lunar eclipse</span> Central lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will take place on July 29, 2083. The Moon will be plunged into darkness for 1 hour and 30 minutes, in a deep total eclipse which will see the Moon 48.3% of its diameter inside the Earth's umbral shadow. The visual effect of this depends on the state of the Earth's atmosphere, but the Moon may be stained a deep red colour. The partial eclipse will last for 3 hours and 33 minutes in total.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2076 lunar eclipse</span> Central lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will take place on June 17, 2076. The moon will pass through the center of the Earth's shadow. While the visual effect of a total eclipse is variable, the Moon may be stained a deep orange or red color at maximum eclipse. With a gamma value of only −0.0452 and an umbral eclipse magnitude of 1.7943, this is the second greatest eclipse in Saros series 131 as well as the largest and darkest lunar eclipse between June 26, 2029 and June 28, 2094. Overall, it will be the third largest and darkest lunar eclipse of the 21st century. While it will have similar values to the lunar eclipse of July 16, 2000, totality will not last over 106 minutes due to the moon's relatively large apparent size as seen from Earth and greater speed in its elliptical orbit. Totality's expected to last 100 minutes 34 seconds from 9:11:39 to 10:52:15 with the greatest point at 10:01:57 UTC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">June 2094 lunar eclipse</span> Central lunar eclipse

A total lunar eclipse will take place on June 28, 2094. The Moon will pass through the center of the Earth's shadow. While the visual effect of a total eclipse is variable, the Moon may be stained a deep orange or red color at maximum eclipse. With a gamma value of only 0.0288 and an umbral eclipse magnitude of 1.8234, this is the greatest eclipse in Saros series 131 as well as the second largest and darkest lunar eclipse of the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 1932 lunar eclipse</span> Partial lunar eclipse of March 1932

A partial lunar eclipse took place on Tuesday, March 22, 1932. It was the first of 2 nearly total eclipses. The second lunar eclipse of such happened on September 14. This lunar eclipse of Saros cycle 131 preceded the first total eclipse on April 2, 1950.

A partial lunar eclipse took place on Thursday, March 12, 1914.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">November 2060 lunar eclipse</span> Penumbral

A penumbral lunar eclipse will occur on November 8, 2060. It will be too small to be visually perceptible.