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{{short description|Astronomical event}}
{{Infobox lunar eclipse
| type = total
| image = Lunar eclipse chart close-1985May04.png
| caption = The Moon's hourly motion shown right to left
| date = May 4, 1985
| gamma = 0.3520
| magnitude = 1.2369
| saros_ser = 121
| saros_no = 54 of 84
| totality = 67 minutes, 41 seconds
| partiality = 198 minutes, 56 seconds
| penumbral = 310 minutes, 14 seconds
| p1 = 17:21:17
| u1 = 18:16:55
| u2 = 19:22:33
| greatest = 19:56:24
| u3 = 20:30:14
| u4 = 21:35:51
| p4 = 22:31:31
| previous = November 1984
| next = October 1985
}}
A total [[lunar eclipse]] occurred at the Moon’s [[Lunar node|descending node]] of orbit on Saturday, May 4, 1985,<ref>{{cite web|title=May 4–5, 1985 Total Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/1985-may-4|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref> with an umbral [[Magnitude of eclipse|magnitude]] of 1.2369. A lunar eclipse occurs when the [[Moon]] moves into the [[Earth's shadow]], causing the Moon to be darkened. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon's near side entirely passes into the Earth's umbral shadow. 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. A total lunar eclipse can last up to nearly two hours, while a total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes at any given place, because the Moon's [[Umbra, penumbra and antumbra|shadow]] is smaller. Occurring only about 13.5 hours after [[Apsis|perigee]] (on May 4, 1985, at 6:20 UTC), the Moon's apparent diameter was larger.<ref>{{cite web|title=Moon Distances for London, United Kingdom, England|url=https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/moon/distance.html?year=1985&n=136|publisher=timeanddate|access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref>

This lunar eclipse was the first of a [[Tetrad (astronomy)|tetrad]], with four total lunar eclipses in series, the others being on [[October 1985 lunar eclipse|October 28, 1985]]; [[April 1986 lunar eclipse|April 24, 1986]]; and [[October 1986 lunar eclipse|October 17, 1986]].

== Visibility ==
The eclipse was completely visible over [[central Africa|central]] and [[east Africa]], [[eastern Europe]], the western half of [[Asia]], western [[Australia]], and [[Antarctica]], seen rising over much of [[South America]], [[west Africa]], and [[western Europe]] and setting over [[east Asia|east]] and [[northeast Asia]] and much of Australia.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04|url=https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1985May04T.pdf|publisher=NASA|access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
|[[File:Lunar eclipse from moon-1985May04.png|300px]] [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-1985May04.png|300px]]
|}

== Eclipse details ==
Shown below is a table displaying details about this particular solar eclipse. It describes various parameters pertaining to this eclipse.<ref>{{cite web|title=Total Lunar Eclipse of 1985 May 04|url=https://eclipsewise.com/lunar/LEprime/1901-2000/LE1985May04Tprime.html|publisher=EclipseWise.com|access-date=6 January 2025}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" align="{{{align|left}}}" style="margin:{{#ifeq:{{{align}}}|right|0 0 0.5em 1em|0 1em 0.5em 0}}"
|+May 4, 1985 Lunar Eclipse Parameters
! Parameter
! Value
|-
| Penumbral Magnitude
| 2.18702
|-
| Umbral Magnitude
| 1.23687
|-
| Gamma
| 0.35197
|-
| Sun Right Ascension
| 02h47m17.2s
|-
| Sun Declination
| +16°07'37.7"
|-
| Sun Semi-Diameter
| 15'51.5"
|-
| Sun Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 08.7"
|-
| Moon Right Ascension
| 14h47m52.0s
|-
| Moon Declination
| -15°47'45.9"
|-
| Moon Semi-Diameter
| 16'41.4"
|-
| Moon Equatorial Horizontal Parallax
| 1°01'15.3"
|-
| ΔT
| 54.5 s
|}
{{clear}}

== Eclipse season ==
{{See also|Eclipse cycle}}
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]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Eclipse season of May 1985
! May 4 Descending node (full moon) !! [[Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985|May 19]] Ascending node (new moon) 
|-
| [[File:Lunar eclipse chart close-1985May04.png|200px]] || [[File:SE1985May19P.png|200px]]
|- align=center
| [[Lunar eclipse#Types of lunar eclipse|Total lunar eclipse]] Lunar Saros 121 || [[Total eclipse#Types|Partial solar eclipse]] Solar Saros 147
|}

== Related eclipses ==
=== Eclipses in 1985 ===
* '''A total lunar eclipse on May 4.'''
* [[Solar eclipse of May 19, 1985|A partial solar eclipse on May 19]].
* [[October 1985 lunar eclipse|A total lunar eclipse on October 28]].
* [[Solar eclipse of November 12, 1985|A total solar eclipse on November 12]].

=== Metonic ===
* Preceded by: [[July 1981 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of July 17, 1981]]
* Followed by: [[February 1989 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of February 20, 1989]]

=== Tzolkinex ===
* Preceded by: [[March 1978 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of March 24, 1978]]
* Followed by: [[June 1992 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of June 15, 1992]]

=== Half-Saros ===
* Preceded by: [[Solar eclipse of April 29, 1976]]
* Followed by: [[Solar eclipse of May 10, 1994]]

=== Tritos ===
* Preceded by: [[June 1974 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of June 4, 1974]]
* Followed by: [[April 1996 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of April 4, 1996]]

=== Lunar Saros 121 ===
* Preceded by: [[April 1967 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of April 24, 1967]]
* Followed by: [[May 2003 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 16, 2003]]

=== Inex ===
* Preceded by: [[May 1956 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of May 24, 1956]]
* Followed by: [[April 2014 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of April 15, 2014]]

=== Triad ===
* Preceded by: [[July 1898 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of July 3, 1898]]
* Followed by: [[March 2072 lunar eclipse|Lunar eclipse of March 4, 2072]]

=== Lunar eclipses of 1984–1987 ===
{{Lunar eclipse set 1984-1987}}

=== Metonic series ===
{{Metonic lunar eclipse 1966-2023}}

=== Saros 121 ===
{{Lunar Saros series 121}}

=== Tritos series ===
{{Lunar Tritos series March 2007}}

=== Inex series ===
{{Lunar Inex series April 2014}}

=== Half-Saros cycle ===
A lunar eclipse will be preceded and followed by solar eclipses by 9 years and 5.5 days (a [[Saros (astronomy)#Relationship between lunar and solar saros .28sar.29|half saros]]).<ref>Mathematical Astronomy Morsels, Jean Meeus, p.110, Chapter 18, ''The half-saros''</ref> This lunar eclipse is related to two annular solar eclipses of [[Solar Saros 128]].
{| class=wikitable
![[Solar eclipse of April 29, 1976|April 29, 1976]]
![[Solar eclipse of May 10, 1994|May 10, 1994]]
|-
|[[File:SE1976Apr29A.png|240px]]
|[[File:SE1994May10A.png|240px]]
|}

== See also ==
*[[List of lunar eclipses]]
*[[List of 20th-century lunar eclipses]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links ==
* {{LEplot1951 link|1985|May|04|T}}

{{Lunar eclipses}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lunar eclipse 1985-05}}
[[Category:20th-century lunar eclipses|1985-05]]
[[Category:1985 in science]]
[[Category:May 1985]]

May 1985 lunar eclipse - Revision history

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