Why Does the Moon Look Orange?

Why does the moon look orange? You may have noticed the different shades the moon has appeared in over the course of time.

Many people have a theory that the moon is actually made of cheese, considering how many of the colors resemble the different cheeses.

Commonly the moon looks orange, especially during dawn and dusk.

However, there is a very logical explanation for this, and unfortunately, it is not because the moon is indeed made of cheese.

Let’s find out!

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Why does the moon look orange?

Although the moon may look different at times, it is important to remember that it stays the same colour all year round. The angle at which we are looking at the moon and the environment we are in while doing so affects the colour in which we perceive it.

Gases in the environment surround the earth. These atmospheric particles have the tendency to scatter short wavelengths of light, such as blue, more than longer wavelengths of light, like red and orange. This is why the moon appears orange or sometimes even red when it is closer to the horizon.

The light of the moon has to travel through a lot of the earth’s atmosphere to reach you; most of the short wavelengths get scattered in the process, leaving behind the longer ones, resulting in the orang-ish glow.

No matter where the moon is in the sky, it still has an orange tint, even if it isn’t near the horizon. It will always be because of the pollutants in the air that the light of the moon has to travel through.

The longer the distance the light has to travel, the more its wavelength will be scattered.

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