NASA Explains Why Moon Turns Red During Lunar Eclipse
NDTV
This years last total Lunar Eclipse is expected to be seen on November 8.
The last total Lunar Eclipse of this year will occur on November 8. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth and the Moon are in straight line and the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. As per American space agency NASA, the next total lunar eclipse will occur three years later, on March 14, 2025. However, the world will continue to witness partial lunar eclipses during that time. On November 8, 2022, the Moon will pass into Earth's shadow and turn red. This will be the last total lunar eclipse for about 3 years, so be sure to check it out if it's visible in your area.Learn more: https://t.co/zetjapudzVpic.twitter.com/PJ0AuQrfEC
The agency also said that during the total eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth's shadow, known as the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it will turn a reddish hue. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called "Blood Moons" because of this phenomenon.
Rayleigh scattering is a phenomenon that causes the Moon to turn red in colour. NASA wrote, "The same phenomenon that makes our sky blue and our sunsets red causes the Moon to turn red during a lunar eclipse. It's called Rayleigh scattering. Light travels in waves, and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and is scattered more easily by particles in Earth's atmosphere than red light, which has a longer wavelength."
