Look to the skies, Philly! If you love all-things outer space, then you’re in for a treat this September. September’s rare blood moon will hang over the skyline, glowing an eery reddish orange as part of one of the longest total lunar eclipses in years. Keep scrolling for all the details on this amazing natural phenomenon!
What is a total lunar eclipse? Is it different from a solar eclipse?
Great question. First of all, yes, a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse are different. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the sun and the moon. During a solar eclipse, the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, covering the sun up. The graphic below demonstrates what’s happening during the total lunar eclipse!
What makes this a Blood Moon?
We call the full moon during a total lunar eclipse a Blood Moon because of it’s reddish tint.
The Weather Channel breaks it down,
As that sunlight moves through our atmosphere, shorter wavelengths (like blue) get scattered, or dispersed, to a greater extent than longer wavelengths (like red). Since the red light is less scattered, it gets refracted toward the moon, providing the ‘blood’ color these eclipses are so well known for.
In other words, yes, the blood moon will actually glow red in the sky, unlike other moons with confusing color-based names like the strawberry moon, which doesn’t really appear pink, or a Blue Moon, which doesn’t appear blue.
When is the September full Blood Moon?
On the night of September 7th into the early morning on the 8th!
Wait, will I be able to see the lunar eclipse from Philadelphia?
Unfortunately, no. The Blood Moon will be part of the longest total lunar eclipse since 2022, but the Western Hemisphere won’t be able to see it up in the nighttime sky.
Live Science says,
The eclipse will be best seen from Asia and Western Australia, where more than 6 billion people (nearly 77% of the world’s population) will be privy to the entire total phase of the eclipse
But that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy the eclipse! You can watch a livestream of the event right here!
So look to the skies, Philly! And enjoy a spooky red moon to kick off your September.