The Moon Turns Red During A Total Lunar Eclipse
When the earth blocks some or all of the sun’s direct light from reaching the moon, it is called a lunar eclipse. This cosmic event occurs only once every 29 and a half days or the length of one full lunar orbit around the earth. So, why aren’t their eclipses every month? Because the moon’s orbit is tilted about the earth by a few degrees, the earth, moon, and sun do not always align.
When the earth blocks the sun, it casts two types of shadows on the moon: the larger penumbra and the umbra, which is smaller and darker. There are three types of lunar eclipses: total lunar eclipses, partial lunar eclipses, and partial lunar eclipses. The first is a total lunar eclipse, which occurs when the sun, moon, and earth are perfectly aligned and the moon passes through the umbral shadow of the earth. Because total lunar eclipses turn the moon a sunset red, they are the most visible of the three types. While the earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter, blue wavelengths of light outward, longer, red wavelengths are refracted, or bent, inward toward the moon, making it appear red.
The intensity of the moon’s red glow is determined by the amount of dust and clouds in the earth’s atmosphere. As a result of volcanic activity, ash can block enough light to turn the moon a darker red, or even black, color. The second type of lunar eclipse occurs when the earth, moon, and sun do not perfectly align, allowing only a portion of the moon to pass through the earth’s umbra. On the side of the moon facing earth, the Earth’s shadow appears very dark. Finally, when the moon passes through the earth’s penumbral shadow, a penumbral lunar eclipse occurs.
Most people aren’t aware of the event because it is so subtle. The moon will be just a smidgeon darker than usual. Lunar eclipses happen up to three times a year, and they can be seen from the entire nighttime half of the globe. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse allows you to look at the moon with your naked eye. Total lunar eclipses are only possible due to the distances between the sun and the moon from the earth. The moon will be too far away from the earth’s umbral shadow one day, billions of years from now, as it inches closer to the earth each year. Until then, we can enjoy seeing the shadow of our planet cast on the largest object in the night sky.
Originally published at https://www.rvblogslk.com.
