What is a 'blood moon,' when is it taking place?
MANILA, Philippines — This November 8, a "blood moon" will be visible in several parts of the world, a natural phenomenon that is more common than most but is not any less spectacular to witness.
The "Beaver Blood Moon" will be visible for 85 minutes in North America and parts of South America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
In the Philippines, the total eclipse will begin at 6:16 p.m., reach its midpoint just before 7:00 p.m., and finally end at 7:41 p.m.
The blood moon can be safely seen with the naked eye, better in a dark environment away from bright lights, but using cameras, telescopes, and binoculars can enhance the viewing experience.
It is recommended to witness the event at least an hour beforehand in order to see the moon enter the Earth's dark central shadow, turning dark before gradually appearing reddish.
HEADS UP, SELENOPHILES! ????
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A Total Lunar Eclipse will occur on Nov. 8, 2022, and it will be visible in the Philippines, according to PAGASA. pic.twitter.com/NL0X1x8N3A
Before November 8, the last blood moon was on May 16, 2022. The next blood moon is over two years away, on March 14, 2025, but the next one that will be visible in Asia will be September 17 of the same year.
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What is a blood moon?
A blood moon occurs when the moon is in a total lunar eclipse, appearing in the sky as muddy red or brown rather than it's usual pale white.
According to Space.com, lunar eclipses, and by extension a blood moon, can only happen during full moon phases when the sun illuminates the entirety of the moon's surface.
The moon orbits in a slightly different plane than the Earth and the sun, but whenever these planes coincide — the Earth positioned between the sun and moon — a lunar eclipse happens as sunlight is cut off.
In this occurence, light waves that appear red are stretched out and strike the moon's surface, hence why it appears like a blood moon from Earth.
“During a lunar eclipse, Earth’s atmosphere scatters sunlight. The blue light from the Sun scatters away, and longer-wavelength red, orange, and yellow light pass through, turning our Moon red,” said the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Space.com also notes that the redness of a blood moon can depend on how much pollution, cloud cover, and debris there are in the atmosphere, giving the moon an even darker appearance.
RELATED: Blood moon rises: Where to watch total lunar eclipse this November 8
