April 1987 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1987Apr14.png

| caption = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left

| date = April 14, 1987

| gamma = −1.1364

| magnitude = −0.2312

| saros_ser = 141

| saros_no = 22 of 73

| penumbral = 234 minutes, 8 seconds

| p1 = 0:21:55

| greatest = 2:18:54

| p4 = 4:16:03

| previous = October 1986

| next = October 1987

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s descending node of orbit on Tuesday, April 14, 1987,{{cite web|title=April 13–14, 1987 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1987-april-14|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}} 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 (on April 18, 1987, at 17:35 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1987&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}}

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.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1987 Apr 14|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1987Apr14N.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=6 January 2025}}

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Eclipse details

Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1987 Apr 14|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1987Apr14Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=6 January 2025}}

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|+April 14, 1987 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! 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 (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.

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|+ Eclipse season of March–April 1987

! March 29
Ascending node (new moon)
!! April 14
Descending node (full moon)

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| 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

= Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987 =

= Saros 141 =

= 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 partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 148.

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