Public domain
Lunar Eclipse
From the collection of NASA Image and Video Library. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
In this lunar eclipse viewed from Merritt Island, Fla., the full moon takes on a dark red color because it is being lighted slightly by sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere. This light has the blue component preferentially scattered out (this is also why the sky appears blue from the surface of the Earth), leaving faint reddish light to illuminate the Moon. Eclipses occur when the Sun, Earth and Moon line up.
NASA Image and Video Library’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineLunar Eclipse. NASA/KSC, 2003-11-09. Public domain. ID: KSC-03pd3082.