When browsing photos of the Moon you might be surprised to find pictures in a variety of stunning colors, including red, yellow, orange, blue, and gray. Below, we’ve shared the science behind these colorful phenomena, which help to light up the Moon and fuel our imaginations.
Red Moon

The Moon depends on the Sun for natural light, which reflects on the lunar surface, so the Sun’s position can have a drastic effect on the Moon’s color. Every time there’s a total lunar eclipse – when the Earth is located between the Sun and Moon, preventing sunlight from hitting the lunar surface – the Moon takes on a reddish hue instead of going fully dark.