Pink Moon Over Portugal

June 23, 2013

Pink Moon Over Portugal

Photographer: Nuno Lopes; Nuno's Web site
Summary Authors: Nuno Lopes; Jim Foster

The photo above captures the full, pink Moon rising over Barreiro, Portugal on the evening of April 25, 2013. The Moon's color and size are most often remarked upon when it lies close to the horizon. Because of the increased path length of moonlight when the Moon is low in the sky as compared to when it's positioned higher up in the sky, it looks red or pink since the shorter wavelengths of visible light (violets, blues, and greens) are scattered from our view. However, the Moon's extraordinary size when it's just above the horizon is unrelated to the scattering of light. Rather it's an illusion that results from perspective. Try to observe tonight's strawberry Moon as it rises. See also the Earth Science Picture of the Day for June 4, 2013.

Photo details: Camera Model: Canon EOS 550D; Focal Length: 90mm; Aperture: f/8.0; Exposure Time: 0.400 s (1/3); ISO equiv: 100; Software: Adobe Photoshop CS6 (13.020111012.m.258 2011/10/12:21:00:00)  (Windows).