Our Moon Is About to Glow Blood Red—Here’s the Reason.

This Thursday night, for the first time in nearly two-and-a-half years, the Moon will put on a stunning celestial display, glowing in a deep red hue.

What was once seen as a harbinger of doom is now a perfect reason to step outside and witness the wonders of nature. So grab a blanket and a warm drink, settle in, and enjoy the show as the Moon transforms for a few hours.

The term “blood moon” is an informal way to describe the Moon’s reddish appearance during a total lunar eclipse.

Less commonly, it can also refer to a sequence of four total lunar eclipses observed from the same location within two years. Since total eclipses occur only four to five times per decade in any given spot, witnessing four consecutive ones is a rare event.

Why Does the Moon Turn Red?

Like any solid object in the path of light, Earth blocks sunlight, casting a shadow into space. However, unlike Earth’s rocky surface, its atmosphere is thin enough to let some light pass through. As sunlight filters through the atmosphere, shorter blue wavelengths scatter, while longer red wavelengths bend around the planet, giving the Moon its eerie crimson glow.

This same scattering effect makes the sky appear blue during the day and causes sunrises and sunsets to glow in shades of orange and red.

Because of this refraction and scattering, Earth casts a cone-shaped shadow with a glowing, rust-colored fringe. The Moon only crosses this shadow a few times a year due to its small size, its proximity to Earth, and its slightly tilted orbit.

On rare occasions, a total lunar eclipse coincides with a supermoon and a blue moon, creating what NASA calls a Super Blue Blood Moon—a seemingly paradoxical but spectacular event.

During a total lunar eclipse, direct sunlight is completely blocked, leaving only the refracted red light to illuminate the Moon. The result is an eerie, blood-like glow across its surface—a stunning sight that serves as a reminder of the cosmic ballet constantly unfolding above us.

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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