October 1985 lunar eclipse


A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, October 28, 1985, with an umbral magnitude of 1.0736. 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 1.2 days before apogee, the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.
This lunar eclipse was the second of a tetrad, with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on May 4, 1985; April 24, 1986; and October 17, 1986.

Visibility

The eclipse was completely visible over northern Europe, Asia, and western Australia, seen rising over Africa and much of Europe and setting over eastern Australia, northwestern North America, and the central Pacific Ocean.

Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.
ParameterValue
Penumbral Magnitude2.16733
Umbral Magnitude1.07357
Gamma−0.40218
Sun Right Ascension14h11m49.8s
Sun Declination-13°16'24.9"
Sun Semi-Diameter16'06.1"
Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax08.9"
Moon Right Ascension02h12m27.9s
Moon Declination+12°56'45.9"
Moon Semi-Diameter14'43.3"
Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax0°54'01.6"
ΔT54.8 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.
October 28
Ascending node
November 12
Descending node
Total lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 126		Total solar eclipse
Solar Saros 152

Related eclipses

Eclipses in 1985

Metonic series

Saros 126

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. This lunar eclipse is related to two total solar eclipses of Solar Saros 133.
October 23, 1976November 3, 1994