The moon wears many shades. Sometimes it’s white, yellow, or even orange. But why? There are reasons behind the color changes.
The dark gray moon is just one color, but the different colors we see with our eyes come from the angle at which we view the moon and various other factors. That’s right, it’s all an optical illusion.
During the daytime, the moon appears white because the sun is so much brighter than the moon; it cancels it out. As the sun sets, the moon is yellow because overnight, without the sun, the moon is the brightest thing in the sky.
🔒 Celestial events in 2024: Eclipses, meteor showers, supermoons & so much more! | 5 tips for taking the best moon photos with your iPhone | Here’s why you can occasionally see the moon during the daytime
Depending on the amount of pollutants and air particles in the sky —and how close the moon is to the horizon — it appears white, yellow, blue or orange. The more dust in the air, or pollutants in general, make it appear more yellow/orange/blue. It’s all very dependent on the path the moon is taking, and where we see it from, which determines what color it appears.
The atmosphere can often distort what we can see with our own two eyes. All of the different color schemes come about based on the path of the moon’s orbit. Wherever it is will determine its color. When the moon is near the horizon, it often appears orange due to the thick atmosphere the light must travel through, according to Study.com.
February ‘snow moon’ is ready to light up our skies this weekend
Look up Friday night and Saturday morning.
February’s “snow moon” will illuminate the sky right after sunset on Feb. 23. In Jacksonville, the moon will rise at 6:21 p.m. right at sunset.
The full moon is also called a “micromoon” because it will appear the smallest of any full moon of the year. This happens when the moon’s orbit is the farthest away from Earth. Click here to read more.