May 1985 lunar eclipse
Encyclopedia
A total lunar eclipse
took place on May 4, 1985.
, Middle East
, Europe
and Asia
. The eclipse was sighted over the Philippines
at night. The second also followed on October 28, 1985
.
lunar eclipses on the same date, May 4-5, each separated by 19 years:
121.
Lunar eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a...
took place on May 4, 1985.
Visibility
It is seen rising over the whole of AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
. The eclipse was sighted over the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
at night. The second also followed on October 28, 1985
October 1985 lunar eclipse
A total lunar eclipse took place on October 28, 1985. -Metonic series :This eclipse is the second of four Metonic cycle lunar eclipses on the same date, October 28-29, each separated by 19 years:...
.
Metonic series
This eclipse is the second of four Metonic cycleMetonic cycle
In astronomy and calendar studies, the Metonic cycle or Enneadecaeteris is a period of very close to 19 years which is remarkable for being very nearly a common multiple of the solar year and the synodic month...
lunar eclipses on the same date, May 4-5, each separated by 19 years:
Saros series
It is a member of Saros cycleSaros cycle
The saros is a period of 223 synodic months , that can be used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon. One saros after an eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and Moon return to approximately the same relative geometry, and a nearly identical eclipse will occur, in what is referred to as an eclipse cycle...
121.