There is a "blood moon" when the moon is in an eclipse. The view in the sky is striking when the moon is red or brown.
The sun illuminates the surface of the moon during a lunar eclipse. A full moon has no eclipse because the moon is in a different plane than the Earth. The planes sometimes coincide. An eclipse occurs when the moon passes in between the sun and the earth.
The next lunar eclipse will take place in November of 2022.
How to see lunar eclipses in 2022.
A partial eclipse is when the moon's shadow crosses the sun's surface. There is a black shadow on the moon. A penumbral eclipse occurs when the moon passes through the lighter part of Earth's shadow. Skywatchers will only be able to tell the difference if they are experienced.
Something amazing happens during a full eclipse. The moon is not visible to the naked eye. Light from Earth's sunrise and sunset can be seen on the surface of the moon. Light waves look red because they are stretching out. The red light hits the moon's surface.
Pollution, cloud cover and debris in the atmosphere can affect the appearance of the moon. Particles in the atmosphere will make the moon look darker if there is an eclipse soon after a volcano erupts.
Earth is the only place in the solar system where the moon can't be completely obscured by the shadow of the Earth. The moon is drifting away from our planet at a rate of approximately 1.6 inches a year. Each lunar eclipse can be seen over half the Earth, according to NASA.
There will be a total lunar eclipse on November 8, 2022. There is a list of all the lunar eclipses on NASA's website.
The moon turning red caused fear in some ancient cultures. Columbus used this to his advantage.
Columbus and his crew were stranded on an island called Jamaica. Columbus' crew became restless and murdered some of the Arawak people who lived there. Columbus realized famine was imminent when the native people weren't willing to help.
The next lunar eclipse was predicted by Columbus with an almanac. He told the Arawak that the Christian god was upset that Columbus and his crew didn't get any food. Columbus said that the moon would be turned red as a sign of anger. As the event took place, frightened people ran from every direction to the ships laden with provisions, praying to the admiral to intercede with their god on their behalf, according to an account by Ferdinand.
If you have a budding astronomer at home who would like to learn more about eclipses, check out Solar and Lunar Eclipses (Explore Outer Space) by Ruth Owen or NASA's Space Place webpage on the different types of moons.
The total lunar eclipse in January was studied by K. G. Strassmeier and his team.
The natural history museum has a guide to the lunar eclipse.
How to see a lunar eclipse opens in new tab
" Blood moon rising: how lunar eclipses might help us find life on other planets" was written by Jessica Marshallsay.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
