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Total lunar eclipses are sometimes called blood moons because of the reddish orange glow the moon takes on.
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The word “eclipse” means to obscure.
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When the moon passes between the Earth and the sun, it’s called a solar eclipse.
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When the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, it is a lunar eclipse.
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The Moon does not have any light of its own—it shines because its surface reflects sunlight. During a total lunar eclipse, the Earth moves between the Sun and the Moon and cuts off the Moon’s light supply. When this happens, the surface of the Moon takes on a reddish glow instead of going completely dark.
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The reason why the Moon takes on a reddish color during totality is a phenomenon called Rayleigh scattering. It is the same mechanism responsible for causing colorful sunrises and sunsets, and for the sky to look blue.
