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Yes I remember SN 1987A very well. I am sure there are more members out there who did and will correct me on some of the facts and figures I mention here, as I am going by memory! I still have all the 'Astronomy' and 'Sky & Telescope' magazines from 1987 featuring it somewhere in a box.
It was visible to the naked eye (mag 3-3.5 from memory) and was visible from late February 1987, observed extensively by professionals and amateurs all around the world for months.
I think a naked eye SN is reasonably rare, 1987A unique because of its relatively close distance to us. And it was a bonus because it was so far south. I remember observing it for months and going though lots of film on the trusty Olympus OM-1.
Remember Caleb, SN1987A, for example, is approximately 180,000 light years away from us, so the explosion actually occurred 180,000 years ago (Earth-time).
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