October 1987 lunar eclipse

{{Infobox lunar eclipse

| type = penumbral

| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1987Oct07.png

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

| date = October 7, 1987

| gamma = 1.0189

| magnitude = −0.0095

| saros_ser = 146

| saros_no = 9 of 72

| penumbral = 253 minutes, 28 seconds

| p1 = 1:54:49

| greatest = 4:01:35

| p4 = 6:08:17

| previous = April 1987

| next = March 1988

}}

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurred at the Moon’s ascending node of orbit on Wednesday, October 7, 1987,{{cite web|title=October 6–7, 1987 Penumbral Lunar Eclipse|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1987-october-7|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}} with an umbral magnitude of −0.0095. 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 3.1 days after perigee (on October 4, 1987, at 1:35 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 much of North America, South America, west Africa, and western Europe, seen rising over northwestern North America and the central Pacific Ocean and setting over much of Africa, Europe, and west and central Asia.{{cite web|title=Penumbral Lunar Eclipse of 1987 Oct 07|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1987Oct07N.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 Oct 07|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1987Oct07Nprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=6 January 2025}}

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|+October 7, 1987 Lunar Eclipse Parameters

! Parameter

! Value

Penumbral Magnitude

| 0.98640

Umbral Magnitude

| −0.00949

Gamma

| 1.01890

Sun Right Ascension

| 12h49m09.5s

Sun Declination

| -05°16'24.7"

Sun Semi-Diameter

| 16'00.1"

Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 08.8"

Moon Right Ascension

| 00h47m14.4s

Moon Declination

| +06°09'13.6"

Moon Semi-Diameter

| 16'04.0"

Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax

| 0°58'58.1"

ΔT

| 55.6 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 September–October 1987

! September 23
Descending node (new moon)
!! October 7
Ascending node (full moon)

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| Annular solar eclipse
Solar Saros 134

Penumbral lunar eclipse
Lunar Saros 146

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 December 20, 1983
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of July 26, 1991

= Tzolkinex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of August 26, 1980
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of November 18, 1994

= Half-Saros =

Preceded by: Solar eclipse of October 2, 1978
Followed by: Solar eclipse of October 12, 1996

= Tritos =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of November 6, 1976
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 6, 1998

= Lunar Saros 146 =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of September 25, 1969
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of October 17, 2005

= Inex =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of October 27, 1958
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of September 16, 2016

= Triad =

Preceded by: Lunar eclipse of December 6, 1900
Followed by: Lunar eclipse of August 7, 2074

= Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987 =

= Saros 146 =

= 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 153.

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