April 1987 lunar eclipse
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, April 14, 1987, with an umbral magnitude of −0.2312. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth's shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when part or all of the Moon's near side passes into the Earth's penumbra. 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. Occurring about 4.6 days before perigee, the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.
Visibility
The eclipse was completely visible over eastern North America, South America, western Europe, west and central Africa, and Antarctica, seen rising over western and central North America and the eastern Pacific Ocean and setting over east Africa, eastern Europe, and west, central, and south Asia.Eclipse details
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.| Parameter | Value |
| Penumbral Magnitude | 0.77703 |
| Umbral Magnitude | −0.23122 |
| Gamma | −1.13641 |
| Sun Right Ascension | 01h27m26.1s |
| Sun Declination | +09°10'16.8" |
| Sun Semi-Diameter | 15'56.9" |
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 08.8" |
| Moon Right Ascension | 13h25m23.5s |
| Moon Declination | -10°08'55.4" |
| Moon Semi-Diameter | 15'49.1" |
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax | 0°58'03.2" |
| ΔT | 55.4 s |
Eclipse season
This eclipse is part of an eclipse season, a period, roughly every six months, when eclipses occur. Only two eclipse seasons occur each year, and each season lasts about 35 days and repeats just short of six months 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.| March 29 Ascending node | April 14 Descending node |
| Hybrid solar eclipse Solar Saros 129 | Penumbral lunar eclipse Lunar Saros 141 |
Related eclipses
Eclipses in 1987
- A hybrid solar eclipse on March 29.A penumbral lunar eclipse on April 14.
- An annular solar eclipse on September 23.
- A penumbral lunar eclipse on October 7.
Metonic
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 25, 1983
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of January 30, 1991
Tzolkinex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of March 1, 1980
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of May 25, 1994
Half-Saros
- Preceded by: Solar eclipse of April 7, 1978
- Followed by: Solar eclipse of April 17, 1996
Tritos
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 13, 1976
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 13, 1998
Lunar Saros 141
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of April 2, 1969
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of April 24, 2005
Inex
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of May 3, 1958
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of March 23, 2016
Triad
- Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of June 13, 1900
- Followed by: Lunar eclipse of February 11, 2074
Half-Saros cycle
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days. This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 148.| April 7, 1978 | April 17, 1996 |