PHOTOS: Partial lunar eclipse turns moon red
One of the final astronomy events of the summer gave much of the United States its best view of a lunar eclipse until 2029.
The moon took on a reddish glow during a partial lunar eclipse visible in several parts of the world on Aug. 27 and 28.
One of the final astronomical events of the summer unfolded Thursday night as a deep partial lunar eclipse turned most of the moon a rusty shade of red.
For much of the United States, it was the best lunar eclipse until June 25, 2029. People in Alaska and Hawaii will not need to wait quite as long, as both states will be treated to a total lunar eclipse on Dec. 31, 2028.
Although Thursday night’s event was only a partial lunar eclipse, about 96% of the moon passed through Earth’s shadow, leaving only a thin sliver outside the darkest part of the shadow.
The red color is caused by the small amount of sunlight that first passes through Earth’s atmosphere before reaching the moon. The color is created by Rayleigh scattering, the same reason sunrises and sunsets often appear orange or red.
There had also been hopes that the aurora would glow during the eclipse following a solar flare earlier in the week, but the northern lights failed to make an appearance.
Up next for stargazers is another celestial event, with the moon taking center stage as it aligns with Jupiter and Mars on Monday, Sept. 7.
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