Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04

Fred Espenak

Key to Lunar Eclipse Figure (below)

Introduction

The Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04 is visible from the following geographic regions:

  • eastern South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia

The diagram to the right depicts the Moon's path with respect to Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows. Below it is a map showing the geographic regions of eclipse visibility. Click on the figure to enlarge it. For an explanation of the features appearing in the figure, see Key to Lunar Eclipse Figures.

The instant of greatest eclipse takes place on 1985 May 04 at 19:57:19 TD (19:56:24 UT1). This is 0.6 days after the Moon reaches perigee. During the eclipse, the Moon is in the constellation Libra. The synodic month in which the eclipse takes place has a Brown Lunation Number of 771.

The eclipse belongs to Saros 121 and is number 53 of 82 eclipses in the series. All eclipses in this series occur at the Moon’s descending node. The Moon moves northward with respect to the node with each succeeding eclipse in the series and gamma increases.

The total lunar eclipse of 1985 May 04 is followed two weeks later by a partial solar eclipse on 1985 May 19.

These eclipses all take place during a single eclipse season.

The eclipse predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., TD = UT1 + ΔT). ΔT has a value of 54.5 seconds for this eclipse.

The following links provide maps and data for the eclipse.

The tables below contain detailed predictions and additional information on the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04 .

Eclipse Data: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04

Eclipse Characteristics
Parameter Value
Penumbral Magnitude 2.18702
Umbral Magnitude 1.23687
Gamma 0.35197
Epsilon 0.3593°
Opposition Times
Event Calendar Date & Time Julian Date
Greatest Eclipse 1985 May 04 at 19:57:18.6 TD (19:56:24.1 UT1) 2446190.330834
Ecliptic Opposition 1985 May 04 at 19:53:43.3 TD (19:52:48.8 UT1) 2446190.328342
Equatorial Opposition 1985 May 04 at 19:41:58.5 TD (19:41:03.9 UT1) 2446190.320185
Geocentric Coordinates of Sun and Moon
1985 May 04 at 19:57:18.6 TD (19:56:24.1 UT1)
Coordinate Sun Moon
Right Ascension02h47m17.2s14h47m52.0s
Declination+16°07'37.7"-15°47'45.9"
Semi-Diameter 15'51.5" 16'41.4"
Eq. Hor. Parallax 08.7" 1°01'15.3"
Geocentric Libration of Moon
Angle Value
l 1.2°
b -0.4°
c 15.7°
Earth's Shadows
Parameter Value
Penumbral Radius 1.2978°
Umbral Radius 0.7692°
Prediction Paramaters
Paramater Value
Ephemerides JPL DE405
ΔT 54.5 s
Shadow Rule Danjon
Shadow Enlargement 1.010
Saros Series 121 (53/82)

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Data Tables

Eclipse Contacts: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04

Lunar Eclipse Contacts
Eclipse Event Contact Time
TD		 Time
UT1		 Zenith Latitude Zenith Longitude Position Angle Axis Distance
Penumbral BeginsP117:22:08.917:21:14.415°09.8'S097°32.9'E 306.1° 1.5764°
Partial BeginsU118:17:49.318:16:54.815°23.5'S084°09.3'E 313.0° 1.0477°
Total BeginsU219:23:27.519:22:33.015°39.5'S068°21.9'E 339.9° 0.4911°
Greatest EclipseGreatest19:57:18.619:56:24.115°47.8'S060°13.3'E 22.9° 0.3593°
Total EndsU320:31:09.020:30:14.515°55.9'S052°04.9'E 65.8° 0.4910°
Partial EndsU421:36:46.921:35:52.416°11.7'S036°17.7'E 92.8° 1.0471°
Penumbral EndsP422:32:29.322:31:34.816°25.0'S022°53.9'E 99.7° 1.5755°
Eclipse Durations
Eclipse Phase Duration
Penumbral (P4 - P1)05h10m20.4s
Partial (U4 - U1)03h18m57.6s
Total (U3 - U2)01h07m41.5s

Explanation of Lunar Eclipse Contacts Table

Polynomial Besselian Elements: Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04

Polynomial Besselian Elements
1985 May 04 at 20:00:00.0 TD (=t0)
n x y d f1 f2 f3
0 0.16423 0.32065 0.2815 1.29783 0.76922 0.27817
1 0.54665 -0.23075 0.0002 -0.00014 -0.00014 -0.00004
2 -0.00004 0.00012 -0.0000 -0.00000 -0.00000 -0.00000
3 -0.00001 0.00001 - - - -

At time t1 (decimal hours), each besselian element is evaluated by:

x = x0 + x1*t + x2*t2 + x3*t3 (or x = Σ [xn*tn]; n = 0 to 3)

where: t = t1 - t0 (decimal hours) and t0 = 20.000

Explanation of Besselian Elements

Eclipse Publications

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For more visit: AstroPixels Publishing


Links for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04

Links to Additional Lunar Eclipse Information

• Decade Tables of Lunar Eclipses:
| 1901 - 1910 | 1911 - 1919 | 1921 - 1930 | 1931 - 1940 | 1941 - 1950 |
| 1951 - 1960 | 1961 - 1970 | 1971 - 1980 | 1981 - 1990 | 1991 - 2000 |
| 2001 - 2010 | 2011 - 2020 | 2021 - 2030 | 2031 - 2040 | 2041 - 2050 |
| 2051 - 2060 | 2061 - 2070 | 2071 - 2080 | 2081 - 2090 | 2091 - 2100 |

Lunar Eclipse Publications

Eclipse Predictions

Predictions for the Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04 were generated using the JPL DE405 solar and lunar ephemerides. The lunar coordinates were calculated with respect to the Moon's Center of Mass.

The Earth's umbral and penumbral shadows were calculated using the Danjon methodusing a mean mid-latitude ellipticity to compensate for the opacity of the terrestrial atmosphere.

The predictions are given in both Terrestrial Dynamical Time (TD) and Universal Time (UT1). The parameter ΔT is used to convert between these two times (i.e., UT1 = TD - ΔT). ΔT has a value of 54.5 seconds for this eclipse.

Acknowledgments

Some of the content on this web site is based on the book 21st Century Canon of Lunar Eclipses. All eclipse calculations are by Fred Espenak, and he assumes full responsibility for their accuracy.

Permission is granted to reproduce eclipse data when accompanied by a link to this page and an acknowledgment:

"Eclipse Predictions by Fred Espenak, www.EclipseWise.com"

The use of diagrams and maps is permitted provided that they are NOT altered (except for re-sizing) and the embedded credit line is NOT removed or covered.