I asked some people but..i could not understand..so please tell me as simple as possible.Thanks :)
2007-02-10 05:42:50 · 11 answers · asked by Sajjad 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I am, unlike the rest, assuming you mean the "New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms" and not the normal moon which is, of course, just reflecting light off the earth.
You might mean, also, the coppery-red color of the moon when it is totally eclipsed.
Both "glows" are caused by the atmosphere of the earth. In the case of the "New Moon..." it is reflecting light off the sunlit side of the earth. Earth reflects about 38% of the light it gets from the sun, and so it is exceedingly bright, compared to the moon. 38% of full sunlight is received by the new moon, and it reflects (on average) 7% of that right back at us. So, we see the moon's earthlit side (very clearly) because that's still a lot of light, and the earth is "Full" to the lunar observer. If you were on the moon you could easily read a newspaper.
The coppery glow of the totally eclipsed moon is due to refraction of sunlight by the earth which, during a total lunar eclipse, is causing a total solar eclipse. Sunlight is bent (refracted) by the thick atmosphere of the earth, and it is only the red light that gets through (like red sunsets). Some of the red is due to dust, of course, scattering the sunlight. So, if you were on the moon during a total lunar eclipse you would see a bright ring of red light surrounding the totally eclipsed earth.
It has happened that a very clean earth atmosphere and a very quiet solar atmosphere have combined so that the totally-eclipsed moon nearly disappeared from our vantage point. This happened in December of (I think) 1965, and I happen to have witnessed it (cold as it was in Ohio). If you did not know where to look the moon was quite invisible during that eclipse.
2007-02-10 07:32:17 · answer #1 · answered by David A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The ''glow'', is actually the light from the Sun reflected off the surface of the moon. Thats why it goes through cycles where its full sometimes, and not others. When its not full, the shade of the Earth makes it so.
2007-02-10 05:52:21 · answer #2 · answered by Hans B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the reflection of the sun. When the earth is between the sun and moon you see different amounts of it. When you see all of the moon it is called full and when you don't see it it's new.
2007-02-10 05:51:17 · answer #3 · answered by Ret68 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon is reflective
When the sun goes down it shines on the moon making it bright!
2007-02-10 08:10:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Sun and Refraction.Like when your at a white sand beach,the sun light reflects off the sand up in to your face.
2007-02-11 09:06:12 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sunlight being reflected off of it's surface. The waxing and waning of the moon (When you see it when it isn't whole) is due to the earth being between it and the sun, blocking that sunlight.
2007-02-10 06:01:00 · answer #6 · answered by Andreas 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun
2007-02-10 05:46:07 · answer #7 · answered by iowabballgrl20 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sun is shining on the moon.
2007-02-10 05:47:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It reflects light from the sun.
2007-02-10 05:51:04 · answer #9 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is reflecting the light from the sun.
2007-02-10 05:49:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋