Why does a totally eclipsed Moon glow coppery red?
A)Only red light can pass through the Earth's shadow and reach the Moon.
B)During a lunar eclipse the Moon reflects only red light from the Sun.
C)During a lunar eclipse the Sun is cooler than normal so its light is redder.
D)Only red light is able to pass completely through the Earth's atmosphere and reach the Moon.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon. However, some sunlight is scattered by the Earth's atmosphere and bends around the Earth to reach the Moon. Blue and green light are scattered more than red light, so mostly red light reaches the Moon, which appears coppery red. This effect is known as Rayleigh scattering. Therefore, only red light is able to pass through the Earth's atmosphere and reach the Moon, making option D the correct choice.

Why Does a Totally Eclipsed Moon Glow Coppery Red