People are particularly fascinated by the lunar eclipse because of the red hue our moon takes on. The moon turning into a “blood moon” is an amazing sight in the night sky.
The last total lunar eclipse of 2022 will occur on November 8. It will be the last lunar eclipse in three years, as the next one will occur on March 14, 2025. A lunar eclipse occurs when our moon enters the shadow of the Earth. This happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned so that the Earth falls between the two. A full lunar eclipse is rare, as the moon is completely encapsulated in Earth’s shadow.
People are particularly fascinated by the Lunar Eclipse because of the red hue our moon takes on.
The moon becoming a ‘blood moon’ is an amazing sight in the night sky.
So why does our moon turn red during a total lunar eclipse? The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has explained this phenomenon in an excellent video on YouTube. When the moon is inside the umbra, it takes on a reddish hue. Umbra is the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow.
According to NASA, “the same phenomenon that makes our skies blue and our sunsets red causes the Moon to turn red during a lunar eclipse. It is called Rayleigh scattering. Light travels in waves and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and is more easily scattered by particles in the Earth’s atmosphere than red light, which has a longer wavelength.”
The 2022 lunar eclipse will be visible in Colombia, North and Central America, in Ecuador, Colombia and western parts of Venezuela and Peru, Asia, New Zealand and Australia.
In a tweet, NASA said: “On November 8, 2022, the Moon will pass into Earth’s shadow and turn red. This will be the last total lunar eclipse in about 3 years, so be sure to check if it’s visible in your area.”
NASA added that people who want to see the lunar eclipse do not need any special equipment, although binoculars or a telescope will improve the view and the red color.