The name may sound scary, but the Blood Moon, or Bloody Moon, it is one of the most beautiful astronomical phenomena that we can observe with the naked eye. How can the bleeding moon be something beautiful? In fact, Blood Moon is just an impactful name given to the phenomenon in which the moon turns red. So rest assured, the moon doesn't bleed.
The phenomenon is rare and happens in eclipses of the supermoon. O lunar eclipse it occurs when the Sun, Earth and Moon are in perfect alignment, and the planet is in the center. In relation to the Sun, the Moon is hidden by the Earth, that is, the sun's rays do not reach the satellite, and the planet's shadow is projected onto the Moon, which “darkens”. The supermoon, however, occurs when the satellite is on its full phase and at the closest point to Earth, known as the perigee.
The joining of the two phenomena, lunar eclipse and supermoon, causes the Blood Moon. The reddish color is due to a relationship between the Moon's proximity to the Earth's atmosphere and the sun's rays. O
sun emits lights of all colors, but when the Moon is close to Earth, only the low frequency colors, like red, are reflected from Earth's atmosphere to our natural satellite, which makes the Moon red.See too: Why doesn't the Moon fall to Earth?
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when to witness
The supermoon is not a rare phenomenon and happens whenever it reaches its full phase within 24 hours of perigee. When this happens, we see a bigger and brighter moon, especially when it appears on the horizon. According to the United States Space Agency (NASA), supermoons happen, on average, once a year. However, in 2015, the phenomenon occurred three times.
The Blood Moon, in turn, is something rare to witness, as it depends on the total lunar eclipse occurring precisely in the supermoon period.
Both the Supermoon and the Blood Moon can be observed from any part of the planet. The only restriction is on clouds. If the weather is cloudy, the phenomena will hardly be observed. You don't need any equipment either, but the Moon is even more beautiful if observed with a telescope or telescope.
See too:Why do we see the moon during the day?
myths
Throughout history, the Blood Moon has been accompanied by several myths. Some religions believe that the event indicates the arrival of a prophet, apocalypse, tragedies, wars, etc. Astronomers do not believe these prophecies and claim that religions have always used astronomical phenomena to mark the change of an Era. Omen or not, the truth is that these phenomena always arouse our curiosity.
by Adriano Lesme
Brazil School Team
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
LESME, Adriano. "Blood Moon"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/curiosidades/lua-sangue.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
