October 1986 lunar eclipse
| Total eclipse | |||||||||||||||||
 The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left | |||||||||||||||||
| Date | October 17, 1986 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gamma | 0.3189 | ||||||||||||||||
| Magnitude | 1.2455 | ||||||||||||||||
| Saros cycle | 136 (18 of 72) | ||||||||||||||||
| Totality | 73 minutes, 41 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Partiality | 216 minutes, 48 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| Penumbral | 353 minutes, 12 seconds | ||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Friday, October 17, 1986,[1] 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.[2]
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
[edit]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.[3]
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Eclipse details
[edit]Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.[4]
| 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
[edit]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.
| October 3 Descending node (new moon) |
October 17 Ascending node (full moon) |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Hybrid solar eclipse Solar Saros 124 |
Total lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 136 |
Related eclipses
[edit]Eclipses in 1986
[edit]- 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
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 30, 1982
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 6, 1990
Tzolkinex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1979
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 29, 1993
Half-Saros
[edit]- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1977
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 24, 1995
Tritos
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1975
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 1997
Lunar Saros 136
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 6, 1968
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 28, 2004
Inex
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 7, 1957
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 28, 2015
Triad
[edit]- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 17, 1899
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 17, 2073
Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987
[edit]| Lunar eclipse series sets from 1984–1987 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Descending node | Ascending node | |||||||
| Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | Saros | Date Viewing |
Type Chart |
Gamma | |
| 111 | 1984 May 15
|
Penumbral
|
1.11308 | 116 | 1984 Nov 08
|
Penumbral
|
−1.08998 | |
| 121 | 1985 May 04
|
Total
|
0.35197 | 126 | 1985 Oct 28
|
Total
|
−0.40218 | |
| 131 | 1986 Apr 24
|
Total
|
−0.36826 | 136 | 1986 Oct 17
|
Total
|
0.31887 | |
| 141 | 1987 Apr 14
|
Penumbral
|
−1.13641 | 146 | 1987 Oct 07
|
Penumbral
|
1.01890 | |
| Last set | 1984 Jun 13 | Last set | 1983 Dec 20 | |||||
| Next set | 1988 Mar 03 | Next set | 1988 Aug 27 | |||||
Metonic series
[edit]This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, October 17–18, 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.
| Descending node | Ascending node | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saros | Date | Type | Saros | Date | Type | |
| 111 | 1948 Apr 23 | Partial | 116 | 1948 Oct 18 | Penumbral | |
|
| |||||
| 121 | 1967 Apr 24 | Total | 126 | 1967 Oct 18 | Total | |
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| 131 | 1986 Apr 24 | Total | 136 | 1986 Oct 17 | Total | |
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| |||||
| 141 | 2005 Apr 24 | Penumbral | 146 | 2005 Oct 17 | Partial | |
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Half-Saros cycle
[edit]A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[5] This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 143.
| October 12, 1977 | October 24, 1995 |
|---|---|
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See also
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^ "October 17–18, 1986 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)". timeanddate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England". timeanddate. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1986 Oct 17" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "Total Lunar Eclipse of 1986 Oct 17". EclipseWise.com. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, The half-saros
External links
[edit]- 1986 Oct 17 chart Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, NASA/GSFC
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