A penumbral lunar eclipse took place on Tuesday, April 14, 1987, the first of two lunar eclipses in 1987, the second being on October 7, 1987. This subtle penumbral eclipse may have been visible to a skilled observer at maximum eclipse. 77.703% of the Moon's disc was partially shaded by the Earth (none of it was in total shadow), which caused a gentle shadow gradient across its disc at maximum; the eclipse as a whole lasted 3 hours, 54 minutes and 12.8 seconds. The Moon was just 4.6 days before perigee (Perigee on Saturday, April 18, 1987), making it 0.5% larger than average.[1]
Visibility
It was completely visible over North America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa and west in Asia, seen rising over the Pacific Ocean and North America and setting over South Asia and the Indian Ocean.
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a half saros).[2] This lunar eclipse is related to two partial solar eclipses of Solar Saros 148.
