Why is the moon sometimes orange (particularly when it is low in the sky)?

Answer 1

The moon never changes color it merely reflects the light from the sun. It would always look the same color in outer space. The brightness of the moon depends on whether it is full or crescent, etc. and whether the sunlight is reflected to us directly or at an angle (albedo). The color you see result from the absorbtion or diffraction of the moon's (sun's) light which selectively eliminates certain wavelengths (colors) leaving only those that reach your eyes. The light travels through far more of the earth's atmosphere when at the horizon (sunset) than when directly overhead. It takes far less string to reach from the bottom of a swiming pool above to the surface than to reach from the bottom at one end to the surface at the other end, right?

Answer 2

A warm front will lift dust up into the atmosphere, and when light shines through it, it glows red. as they say ' Red sky at night' and all that. if you see a red sky at night it is a warm front moving towards you from the west. if seen in a morning, its the warm front moving away towards the east, always followed by a cold front. Brrrrrrrrr

Answer 3

For the same reason the sun looks red when it sets: the light has to go through more air before it reaches your eyes, and air scatters blue light more than red (which is why the sky looks blue). Remove the blue from white ligtht and you have something that looks... red.

Answer 4

All of the people who said that the light is traveling through dust and more atmosphere are right ... but the underlying cause of this is Rayleigh scattering. The reference may have more detail than you want; however it is pretty thorough. Good question, MAC

Answer 5

it is the sun's rays passing through the earth's atmosphere and hitting the moon the orange moon is called a harvest moon

Answer 6

Ask Bruce Willis.

Answer 7

light from it passing thru dust in the atmosphere.

Answer 8

The Captain is right... arrrgh