What is a blue moon? - Royal Museums Greenwich
The last blue moon took place on 19 August 2024. What colour is a blue moon? Blue moons aren’t blue! Blue moons remain the same colour as any other full moon except in two rare cases: During a lunar eclipse, the Moon can turn blood red, lit only by the light bent around the Earth by its atmosphere onto the face of the Moon. As lunar …
The Moon: your questions answered - Royal Museums Greenwich
The Moon's surface is characterised by light mountainous regions interspersed with dark maria or ‘seas’. The 'Man in the Moon' is formed from patches of these two types of terrain. The maria are vast impact basins which have been filled with basaltic rocks some 3000 million years ago. Much of the Moon's surface is covered with craters.
What are the names of full moons throughout the year?
Blue moons, Harvest moons, Worm moons? Find out more about the ancient names associated with the phases of the Moon - and what they mean.
What is a supermoon? - Royal Museums Greenwich
The term 'supermoon' originates from a concept in astrology, but now has been adopted by some astronomers. One strict definition of a supermoon is that if the Moon is within 10 per cent of its closest distance at the moment of full Moon, it is considered a supermoon. During a supermoon, the Moon appears up to 14% bigger and 30% brighter ...
When Is The Next full Moon? Full Moon Calendar 2024
The next full Moon is on 15 November at 9.28pm in the UK. This is sometimes known as the 'Beaver Moon'. Check the calendar below to see all the full Moon dates in 2024.
Can the Moon affect our health? - Royal Museums Greenwich
Sleep trouble. Violent behaviour. Mental health. Menstrual cycles. All these and more have at one time or another been associated with the Moon. Why have people believed that there is a connection between the Moon and human health? And what, if any, is the scientific basis for it? How the Moon affects humans – a history Belief in the Moon’s influence on human sickness and health is ancient ...
Why is the sky blue? | Royal Observatory - Royal Museums …
Why is the sky blue? Here's the short answer... As white light passes through our atmosphere, tiny air molecules cause it to ‘ scatter ’. The scattering caused by these tiny air molecules (known as Rayleigh scattering) increases as the wavelength of light decreases. Violet and blue light have the shortest wavelengths and red light has the ...
What would happen if the Moon disappeared? - Royal Museums …
If the Moon were to one day simply disappear, there would be some disastrous consequences that would have an irreversible effect upon life on Earth. What would happen to the oceans if the Moon disappeared?
Night sky highlights - August 2021 - Royal Museums Greenwich
Jul 24, 2021 · Discover what to see in the night sky in August 2021, including a blue moon and the Perseids meteor shower.
What causes the Northern Lights? - Royal Museums Greenwich
The aurora borealis, also known as the 'northern lights', is one of the most spectacular displays in the night sky. What is the science behind these colourful curtains of light?