'Blood Moon' Glows Over California Amid Growing Wildfires

By Dana Cruz First Posted: Oct 06, 2020 03:55 AM EDT

(Photo : Hamilton Education (@hamiltonprep) Twitter Account)

A "blood moon" was seen in the hazy California sky amid continued growth of wildfires in the state.

It was a late-night treat that many people in California witnessed amid the worrisome wildfires growing in the state. It is this year's first total lunar eclipse, said a report from ABC 7.

In this event, the moon's surface is completely covered by the Earth's shadow.

The report said the celestial event seen in California was specifically called a "blood moon" because of the appearance it gave to the sky.

As San Francisco Chronicle pointed out, a blood moon should not be confused with the crimson tint that wildfires have given the state's skies recently.

What Happens During a Blood Moon?

During a blood moon, the moon will not completely disappear. Sunlight will still filter through the edges of the Earth's atmosphere and reach the moon's surface.

It has the same effect as what people see during sunset and sunrise.

In the event of a blood moon, the moon will darken. Oakland's Chabot Space and Science Center astronomer Ben Burress said it will turn into a "rusty orange, red or coppery color."

Unlike wildfires, a blood moon is not supposed to be a cause of worry. It is a natural phenomenon.

It happened around midnight in the Bay Area when the sun, Earth and a full moon were all in line.

How Did Wildfires Turn the Skies Red?

California's wildfires have reached a grim milestone in the past few days.

On Sunday, it was announced that the blazes have officially burned down four million acres. It was more than double the state's previous record of acres burned.

According to Associated Press, the August Complex burned a million acres on Monday. The fire complex is burning between San Francisco and the Oregon border.

Governor Gavin Newsom said the land scorched by the August Complex was bigger than any fire recorded in California from 1932 to 1999.

"If that's not proof point, testament, to climate change, then I don't know what is," Newsom said.

Meteorologists said the smoke emitted from wildfires caused the skies to have red tint, giving an eerie appearance to the skies, FOX 13 reported.

The change of color in the night sky is caused by yet another part of the troubling climate trend.

Ronald C. Cohen, an earth and planetary science professor at UC Berkeley said the moon was a "signpost" that the fires were causing troubling amounts of air pollution.

The high volume of debris and smoke pollutants scattered particles that the human eye usually sees as blue. It mimicked the conditions that take place during a vivid sunset.

"Smoke particles are better at scattering than air," Cohen explained. "So the same effects are stronger and the sun or moon can look red when we look directly at them."

During a typical sunset, the light from the sun passed through a further distance in the Earth's atmosphere. Blue particles in the air remain at long wavelengths and make the sun look red.

The same effect was seen outside California. Parts of Oregon said the sky also appeared orange in the morning due to smoke in the atmosphere.