Moon Eclipse Color
Why does the Moon turn red, orange, or gold during a total lunar eclipse? It's generally for the same reasons the Sun turns red when it rises or sets. In a lunar eclipse, the Moon often passes through two regions of Earth's shadow: an outer penumbra, where direct sunlight is dimmed, and an inner umbra, where indirect and much dimmer sunlight refracted by Earth's atmosphere shines on the Moon, leaving a reddish color. The Danjon scale illustrates the range of colors and brightness the Moon can take on during a total lunar eclipse.
It is also a useful tool to visual observers in characterizing the appearance of an eclipse. The evaluation of an L value is best done with the naked eye, binoculars, or a small telescope near the time of mid. We explore why the lunar surface turns a beautiful reddish color to become a "blood moon" during the totality phase of a total lunar eclipse.
In a lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth and moon line up, with the Earth in the middle. Image via NASA. Bottom line: Coming up the total lunar eclipse of March 2-3, 2026.
The reddish color of the eclipsed Moon is one of the most striking features of a total lunar eclipse. This phenomenon results from the scattering of sunlight in Earth's atmosphere, a process known as Rayleigh scattering. What is a lunar eclipse and why do they happen? Discover the science of lunar eclipses and view pictures of the rusty-red 'blood Moon'.
During the total lunar eclipse early Friday morning, the moon will still be visible in the night sky, but its color will change. Here's when and how to see the Blood Moon. The first "Blood Moon" eclipse since 2022 will cause the moon to change colors on March 13-14, and it will be visible across North America, as long as cloudy weather doesn't spoil the show.
A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth's orbit places it directly between the sun and the moon, casting the planet's shadow upon the lunar surface. This has the effect of turning the moon a rusty orange or red color, similar to the color of many harvest moons.