October 1985 lunar eclipse

{{Short description|Total lunar eclipse (October 28, 1985)}}

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = total

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1985Oct28.png

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

| date = October 28, 1985

| gamma = −0.4022

| magnitude = 1.0736

| saros_ser = 126

| saros_no = 44 of 72

| totality = 43 minutes, 52 seconds

| partiality = 214 minutes, 57 seconds

| penumbral = 365 minutes, 3 seconds

| p1 = 14:39:51

| u1 = 15:54:53

| u2 = 17:20:26

| greatest = 17:42:22

| u3 = 18:04:18

| u4 = 19:29:50

| p4 = 20:44:54

| previous = May 1985

| next = April 1986

}}

A total lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Monday, October 28, 1985,{{cite web|title=October 28–29, 1985 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1985-october-28|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}} 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 (on October 29, 1985, at 21:50 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was smaller.{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1985&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}}

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.