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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Colors of the Moon
NASA ^ | 1 Nov. 2026 | Credit & Copyright: Marcella Giulia Pace

Posted on 11/01/2026 11:58:36 AM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: What color is the Moon? It depends on the night -- and the time. Outside of the Earth's atmosphere, the dark Moon, which shines by reflected sunlight, appears a magnificently brown-tinged gray. The featured image highlights a collection of apparent colors of the full moon on Earth, documented by one astrophotographer over 10 years from different locations across Italy. A red- or yellow-colored moon usually indicates a moon seen near the horizon. There, some of the blue light has been scattered away by a long path through the Earth's atmosphere, sometimes laden with fine dust. A blue-colored moon is more rare and can indicate an atmosphere carrying larger dust particles. What created the purple moon is unclear -- it may be a combination of several effects. The last image captures the total lunar eclipse of 2018 July -- where the moon, in Earth's shadow, appeared a faint red -- due to light refracted through air around the Earth. Have you ever seen an unusually colorful Moon?


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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1 posted on 11/01/2026 11:58:36 AM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 11/01/2026 11:59:00 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 11/01/2026 11:59:56 AM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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I have never seen a purple moon. If I did, I would think someone put some drugs into my cheeseburger.


4 posted on 11/01/2026 12:01:51 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Brother did some experimental photos lit by only the moon. Do not recall exosure time.
p
What was weird was all the color that was there. We surmised the light from the moon that night was exceptionally white.


5 posted on 11/01/2026 12:09:18 PM PST by doorgunner69
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To: MtnClimber
I have never seen a purple moon.

It may be that color for just a moment, during a lunar eclipse.

6 posted on 11/01/2026 12:10:55 PM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
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To: Steely Tom
It may be that color for just a moment, during a lunar eclipse.

Possibly. Or a spiked cheeseburger.

7 posted on 11/01/2026 12:18:12 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


8 posted on 11/01/2026 12:19:49 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


9 posted on 11/01/2026 12:54:49 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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To: Steely Tom

Just for a moment, then back to dull orange?
It was dull orange during the last lunar eclipse I tried to watch. It wasn’t worth staying up for. I probably didn’t see the whole thing.

I’ve noticed vivid orange when the moon is near perigee - probably more vivid near the horizon.


10 posted on 11/01/2026 1:15:27 PM PST by scrabblehack
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