Full yellow moon. Why do the Moon and Sun change color?

If you have ever watched the sunrise or sunset of a night star, then probably at that moment your attention was attracted by its unusual color and size. Why is the Moon red and large when it is close to the horizon? If the size can somehow be explained by an optical illusion associated with it, then what about the bright orange hue? In the old days, when people were not yet literate enough to understand why the Moon was red at certain times, the unusual color was regarded as a dark omen of terrible events. But how do scientists explain this phenomenon in our time?

Metamorphosis of color

Why does the moon sometimes seem huge?

In some photographs you can see that the Earth's satellite, located above the horizon, looks incredibly large. Sometimes you can notice this phenomenon yourself, and therefore there is no need to say that it is artificially inflated in the pictures. There are several explanations for this fact. Firstly, this optical illusion is associated with interesting feature the human eye - by irradiation: bright light figures on a dark background always seem larger than their real size. Secondly, according to the theory proposed back in the 60s. James Rock and Lloyd Kaufman, for some reason our brain “believes” that the shape of the celestial dome is not regular, but rather a flattened hemisphere. For this reason, objects on the horizon appear larger than those at the zenith. And despite the fact that the eye notes the constant angular size of the Moon (approximately 0.5 degrees), the brain automatically corrects for the distance, and we get an enlarged image of the observed object. However, scientists have not yet decided which of the proposed versions is the most plausible.

Looking into the night sky and observing the Moon, you probably noticed that its color varies. In ancient times, people often determined the weather for the near future by its color. Various signs were also associated with the night luminary. People were especially frightened by the red moon, as it was believed that this was a harbinger of big troubles or an approaching war. So why is the Moon red?

Scientific explanation why the moon is red

With the development of astronomy, man was able to explain the unusual color of the moon. It turns out that the culprit is refracted sunlight. Its flows are heterogeneous and consist of multi-colored beams. Each color has its own properties and wavelength. Thus, short rays have a blue spectrum and good weather When they reach the Earth, they dissipate, giving the star a blue tint. Long rays reach the surface of the Moon, passing through earth's atmosphere. They do not scatter as much as short ones and, when they hit the Moon, they tint it red.

Cause of red moon in the morning

Before the light reflected from the Moon reaches our eyes, it passes through the air, which is saturated with vapors of various gases, including oxygen and nitrogen. Together with fine dust, smoke and various contaminants, they contribute to a change in the light spectrum towards a red tint. Therefore, in the morning the color of the Moon is redder. This is especially clearly visible in dry, windy weather or during large fires, when microscopic particles of earth carried away by wind currents do not have time to settle to the surface, hanging in the air.

Why is the red moon so huge?

When above the horizon, the lunar disk can appear incredibly large. Scientists give several explanations for this phenomenon:

1. This optical illusion depends on a feature of our organ of vision called irradiation. In other words, all light-colored objects against a dark background will always seem larger to us than they actually are.
2. Back in the 60s of the last century, scientists James Rock and Lloyd Kaufman voiced a theory according to which our brain, for unknown reasons, believes that the celestial dome has a flattened shape. Therefore, being near the horizon, objects appear to us larger than their actual size.

What other color could the Moon be?

In addition to red, the Moon can be colored in other colors:

• White-yellow. This is exactly how we see her most often. This pale shade of the luminary is obtained due to reflection from the Moon. sunlight. The angular diameter between the luminaries is such that to our eye the surface of the Moon appears brightened.
• Ashen. Periodically, depending on the phase of movement, the night star is dimly illuminated by the Sun. Therefore, before the new moon, at the beginning and end of the first quarter, the small piece of the Moon visible to us has an ashy color.

Only astronomers will be able to immediately answer the question of why the Moon is red. The rest have to guess and make assumptions. But what prevents you from asking experts for their opinion on this matter? Absolutely nothing! But scientists will be happy to share their knowledge about the Earth’s satellite. The mysterious night luminary is ready to partially lift the veil of secrets around itself.

Color perception of the Moon

Main feature natural satellite The Earth is synchronized movement around its own axis and around our planet. The laws of mechanics explain this by the friction of tides, which arise as a result of the Earth falling into the shell of the Moon. A natural satellite, at its core, is oriented to the gravitational field so that the semimajor axis of the lunar ellipsoid is directed towards the Earth.

In simple terms:

The Moon ALWAYS faces our Earth, which revolves around the Sun, with the same side. Regardless of who revolves around whom and how. It's all about the above synchronization...

The lunar disk does not emit light on its own. But the lunar surface easily reflects sunlight. During some periods of the cycle lunar phases The rays of the Sun practically do not fall on the side of the night star visible to earthlings. Hence the appearance of a thin moon in the night sky.

What colors can be seen from the Earth on the distant Moon:

White-yellow color. Most often, the surface of the disk appears exactly like this. The pale shade of yellow is formed by reflecting approximately 7% of sunlight. Due to the proximity of the angular diameter of the Moon and the Sun, lightening occurs, in which the human eye perceives a spectrum of rays of a certain color. When studying the density of the light flux that comes from one square second of the source, the Moon does not appear to be a very bright luminary. Venus and many other stars, if you mentally put them in one row, will be much brighter. The color rendition of the night satellite appears very strong only due to its proximity to Earth.

Ash color. During certain phases of its motion, the satellite of our planet is weakly illuminated by the Sun. For this reason, in periods close to the new moon (at the end of the first quarter and at the very beginning of the first quarter), the narrow sickle takes on an ashen color.

Red color. The entire surface of the queen of the night is optically perceived by the red eye at the moment when the satellite falls into the shadow of the Earth. This occurs due to the illumination of light scattered in the Earth's atmosphere. If a total solar eclipse has begun, then along the lunar halo through binoculars or a telescope you can see a sequence of bright points of dazzling ruby ​​red color. This phenomenon is called "Bailey's rosary." Appears as a result of partial visibility of the solar disk between the lunar mountains or strong depressions in the center of various lunar craters.

When the USSR collapsed, people began to look into space less often. Many phenomena that were previously observed through binoculars are now passing by. But the mysteries of the Moon and other space objects have not yet been solved!

This is interesting:

The flattening of the Moon's disk occurs due to refraction in the Earth's atmosphere. The phenomenon is observed when the satellite is low above the horizon.

Bailey's rosary can also be seen during the ring period. solar eclipse immediately at the moment of the second or very little before the third touch.

Modern scientists are making full use of the libration phenomenon, which they owe to Galileo Galilei. Its discovery in 1635 now allows us to observe 52% of the lunar surface.

On the lunar surface, the atmosphere is extremely rarefied, so the sky on the Moon is always black. Stars are visible even when the Sun is at the highest point of the horizon.

The full moon dreams of success in love and good luck in business.

A huge moon portends an unfavorable love affair, domestic troubles and disappointment in business.

A lunar eclipse promises some kind of infectious disease.

The blood-red moon prophesies war and strife.

The young moon dreams of increasing well-being and meeting your “half.”

If in a dream a young woman tries to determine her destiny by the Moon, she will marry a worthy chosen one.

If she sees two moons, she will lose love because of her commercialism.

The foggy moon warns: in order not to miss your happiness, you need to be tactful.

According to Nostradamus, the Moon is a symbol of secret power, silence, and surprises. This is how he interpreted dreams about the Moon.

If you see the full moon in a dream, know that the time will come when black forces will reign on Earth. For you personally, such a dream predicts a meeting with a sorcerer who will have a significant impact on your destiny.

They rushed to the Moon in a dream - that means real life you are striving for something new, hitherto unknown.

A dream in which you see the Moon colored bright red or purple is a warning.

Dark spots on the Moon are a warning and can also mean a change in power.

If you see moonlight in a dream, then in reality you will encounter an unexpected obstacle, which will be quite difficult to eliminate.

We saw in a dream the reflection of the Moon in water or in a mirror - ahead unexpected turn events.

The split Moon dreams of mental fatigue and difficulties in choosing a path in life.

If in a dream you perform a ritual of worshiping the Moon goddess, then in reality you will become a victim of your passion.

And the Bulgarian soothsayer Vanga interpreted dreams about the Moon as follows.

Seeing the full moon in a dream is a bad sign. Such a dream foretells that bad times await you soon.

If you dreamed of a bright red or crimson moon, then in the near future you will find yourself in some kind of disaster.

Seeing dark spots on the Moon in a dream is a prophecy of great danger.

Watching the reflection of the moon in water in a dream is a sign that your expectations will be disappointed. In your business, you rely on a person who will let you down at the first opportunity.

If you saw moonlight in a dream, then such a dream foreshadows an exciting journey to distant lands. The trip will be unexpected and very pleasant.

Seeing a split Moon in a dream is a bad omen.

If you dreamed that you were flying to the moon, then such a dream is a harbinger of a long journey.

In one of last year's issues of the magazine, in the "Correspondence with Readers" section, the note "Brown Moon" was published. But why does the Moon change color so often?

E. Kapustin (Simferopol).

Since ancient times, the moon has been associated with silver. However very clean White color The moon is only available during the day. This is because the blue light scattered by the sky adds to the yellowish light of the Moon itself. As the blue color of the sky weakens after sunset, it becomes more and more yellow and at some point pure yellow, and then, at the end of twilight, yellow-white again. For the rest of the night, the Moon retains a light yellowish color, exactly like the daytime Sun. In very clear winter nights When the full Moon is high, its color appears whiter, but near the horizon it becomes as orange and red as the setting Sun.

If the Moon is surrounded by small purple-red clouds, its color becomes almost green-yellow, and if the clouds are orange-pink, then the Moon turns blue-green. Moreover, these contrasting colors appear more clearly for the lunar crescent than for full moon.

With candles, for example, giving a reddish tint, the color of the Moon also appears greenish-blue. This contrast is especially clear if the light sources are not too strong, for example, if you simultaneously observe the reflection of the Moon and a gas flame in water. If you first look at the orange flame of a fire for about half an hour, and then at the Moon, the Moon will acquire a bluish tint.

And indeed: sometimes you can hear the expression “blue moon”. However, this is often called the second full moon of the month. Actually, the full moon does not always happen twice in the same month. Let us remember that the frequency of changes in lunar phases is approximately 29.5 days. Therefore, the second full moon in a month can only occur if the first was on the 1st of that month. For example, February can never be a "blue moon month."

Where did this unusual name come from? Hard to say. It is possible that it appeared during one of the months of two full moons shortly after 1883. That year there was a terrible eruption of the Krakatoa volcano - one of the most catastrophic in the entire chronicled history of mankind. A huge amount of volcanic ash and dust was released into the Earth's atmosphere. And for three years, the amount of solar energy reaching the surface of our planet was about 10% less than usual. Just at this time, the bluish-green color of the Sun and Moon was noted.

Or maybe some observer once noted a rare phenomenon of the so-called green ray near the setting full moon on the second full moon of the month? (See "Science and Life" No. 7, 12, 1980; No. 11, 1989; No. 8, 1993)

When the Moon and Sun are low on the horizon, they appear yellow, orange, and even blood red. This is due to the phenomenon of refraction of light rays in the Earth’s atmosphere and the state of the atmosphere itself.