| Type: | total |
| Date: | 24 April 1986 |
| Axis: | 0.3731° |
| Gamma: | -0.36826 |
| Magnitude: | 1.20217 |
| Saros Ser: | 131 |
| Saros No: | 32 of 72 |
| Totality: | 63 minutes, 34.8 seconds |
| Partiality: | 198 minutes, 46.8 seconds |
| Penumbral: | 312 minutes, 42.8 seconds |
| P1: | 10:06:12.1 |
| U1: | 11:03:12.2 |
| U2: | 12:10:48.0 |
| Greatest: | 12:42:34.7 |
| U3: | 13:14:22.8 |
| U4: | 14:21:59.0 |
| P4: | 15:18:54.9 |
| Previous: | October 1985 |
| Next: | October 1986 |
A total lunar eclipse took place on Thursday, April 24, 1986, the first of two total lunar eclipses in 1986, the second being on October 17, 1986. The Moon was plunged into darkness for 1 hour, 3 minutes and 34.8 seconds, in a deep total eclipse which saw the Moon 20.217% of its diameter inside the Earth's umbral shadow. The visual effect of this depends on the state of the Earth's atmosphere, but the Moon may have been stained a deep red colour. The partial eclipse lasted for 3 hours, 18 minutes and 46.8 seconds in total. The Moon was just 1.2 days before perigee (Perigee on Friday, April 25, 1986), making it 5.3% larger than average.
It is seen rising over eastern Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and western North America and South America, the eclipse is also seen setting over the whole of Europe, Africa and Western Asia. The eclipse was seen very visible over the Philippines, it becomes the first lunar eclipse after the EDSA Revolution since the two lunar eclipses happened between May 4, 1985 and October 28, 1985 and the second followed on October 17, 1986. It also followed on February 20, 1989.
Eclipses in 1986 are:
Partial Solar eclipse of April 9, 1986
Total Lunar Eclipse of April 24, 1986
Hybrid Solar eclipse of October 3, 1986
Total Lunar Eclipse of October 17, 1986 (October 1986 lunar eclipse)
It also followed the passage of Halley's comet in the same year.
It is the third total lunar eclipse of the series. The next occurrence will be on May 4, 2004. The previous occurrence was April 13, 1968.
This eclipse is the third of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, April 23–24, each separated by 19 years:
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[1] This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of Solar Saros 138.