A yellow or orange moon is often called a harvest moon.
What Makes the Moon Look Yellow or Orange?
The appearance of a yellow or orange moon is typically due to its position near the horizon. Here’s a breakdown:
- Atmospheric Effect: When the moon is low on the horizon, its light must pass through a larger portion of Earth's atmosphere to reach our eyes.
- Scattering of Light: This increased atmospheric path causes the shorter wavelengths of light, such as blue and violet, to be scattered away. This scattering process is the same reason why sunsets appear red or orange.
- Color Shift: What remains are the longer wavelengths of light, like yellow, orange, and red, resulting in the moon appearing yellow or orange.
- Timing: The Harvest moon typically occurs in late summer or early fall, and coincides with when the moon is low near the horizon, hence the yellow/orange hue.
The Harvest Moon
According to the provided reference, the "harvest moon” is indeed the term for a yellow or orange moon that usually occurs in late summer or early fall. This phenomenon is purely optical, caused by the angle at which the moon's light travels through the atmosphere.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Harvest Moon |
| Color | Yellow or orange |
| Season | Late summer or early fall |
| Cause | Light travels through more of Earth's atmosphere, scattering blue light and leaving yellow and orange visible |
