Why does the moon appear red during lunar eclipse, why is it called blood moon?

News Topical, Digital Desk : There will be a lunar eclipse on the night of September 7. It will be visible across the country. This will be the longest full lunar eclipse visible in India after 2022. This will be the first time after July 27, 2018 that a full lunar eclipse will be visible from all parts of the country. According to Divya Oberoi, Chairperson of the Public Relations and Education Committee (POEC) of the Astronomical Society of India (ASI) and Associate Professor at the National Center for Radio Astrophysics, Pune, you will have to wait till December 31, 2028 to see such a long lunar eclipse after this. During this time the moon will appear red. Due to the red color, it is called Blood Moon. Let's know what is the reason behind this?

Scientific reason behind blood moon

A blood moon is an astronomical phenomenon that occurs during a total lunar eclipse. When the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon, making the Moon appear red. Actually, the Earth's atmosphere scatters sunlight. Short wavelengths such as blue and green light are completely scattered, while long wavelengths such as red pass through the atmosphere. During a lunar eclipse, only the red light of the Sun is able to reach the Moon through the Earth's atmosphere, making the Moon look red. The sky appears blue due to the scattering of the blue color of the Sun's rays. The color of the blood moon can be dark or light red depending on the amount of dust, pollution or volcanic ash in the atmosphere.

Recognition and stories

In Hindu beliefs, lunar eclipse is considered inauspicious. It is believed that during the eclipse, Rahu or Ketu (the demon) tries to swallow the moon. During this time people perform religious rituals, such as bathing, giving charity and chanting mantras. Pregnant women are prohibited from watching the eclipse, as it is believed that it can be harmful to the baby. In Mesopotamia, the blood moon was considered a sign of danger for the king. The Mayan civilization believed that during the blood moon, the jaguar tries to eat the sun. In the Inca civilization, the blood moon was considered a symbol of the angry moon goddess, and people performed rituals to pacify it.

What did ASI professor Divya Oberoi say?

Professor Oberoi said eclipses are rare and do not occur on every full moon or new moon, as the moon's orbit is tilted by about five degrees from the Earth's orbit around the sun. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow on the lunar surface. The eclipse will begin at 8.58 pm on September 7. Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, head of the Science, Communication, Public Relations and Education (SCOPE) section at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, said that unlike a solar eclipse, no special equipment is required to view a total lunar eclipse and it can be safely viewed with the naked eye, binoculars or telescopes. The partial lunar eclipse can be seen from 9.57 pm on September 7. BS Shailaja, former director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, said the total lunar eclipse is likely to begin at 11.01 pm. Mohan said, "The total lunar eclipse will last from 11.01 pm to 12.23 pm and its duration will be 82 minutes. The partial phase will end at 1.26 am and the eclipse will end at 2.25 am on September 7. 

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