Why is the moon red? How wildfire smoke is changing the skies
Residents of the United States are witnessing the eerie effects of the ongoing wildfires raging across the Canadian border. Poor air quality caused by a wall of smoke descending from the fires can be felt in some areas thousands of miles away. One striking natural occurrence is the blood-red hue of the moon. A nearly full moon rose over Philadelphia on Monday night with an eerie red glow. According to NASA, air molecules from the smoke in Earth’s atmosphere cause light to scatter out most of the blue light, leaving the remaining red light to create a red glow on the moon. This same effect applies to the sun, which New Yorkers have noticed has a pink or red tint. Additional red moons could be in the future for sky gazers in the Northeast and New England, which are now under a “critical” wildfire threat due to a dry thunderstorm pattern spreading east while massive smoke plumes continue to dive out of Canada.
FAQs:
Q: Why is the moon red?
A: The red hue of the moon seen recently is due to the ongoing wildfires in Canada, which have caused air molecules from the smoke in Earth’s atmosphere to scatter out most of the blue light, leaving the remaining red light to create a red glow on the moon.
Q: Can the sun also be affected by the smoke?
A: Yes, New Yorkers have noticed that the sun has a pink or red tint due to the wildfire smoke.
Q: Why are residents in the United States feeling the effects of the Canadian wildfires?
A: The wall of smoke descending from the fires has caused poor air quality in some areas thousands of miles away.
Q: Could there be more red moons in the future?
A: Yes, additional red moons could be in the future for sky gazers in the Northeast and New England, which are currently under a “critical” wildfire threat due to a dry thunderstorm pattern spreading east while massive smoke plumes continue to dive out of Canada.
How does wildfire smoke alter the sky color to red on the moon?
Residents in Philadelphia were treated to an eerie sight on Monday night as a nearly full moon rose over, glowing a deep red. The unusual hue is being caused by the ongoing wildfires in Canada, which are affecting air quality across the US. Smoke from the fires is causing the moon and even the sun to take on a reddish hue. Although a red moon is a common sight during a lunar eclipse, this occurrence is due to the smoke particles scattering most of the blue light, leaving the remaining red light to create the effect. With the Northeast and New England currently under threat due to a “critical” wildfire threat and continuing smoke plumes from Canada, more red moons may be in store for those in the region.