Opus_723 said:The moon often glows red during a total eclipse because light from Earth's atmosphere is refracted into the Earth's umbra, and Rayleigh scattering filters out blue wavelengths. Who first came up with this idea and how? I'd love to know the history behind that insight.
The phenomenon of a red moon has been observed for centuries, so it is difficult to pinpoint one specific person as the sole discoverer. However, many ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks, Romans, and Chinese, have documented their observations and explanations for the red moon.
As mentioned before, the cause of a red moon has been observed and explained by different civilizations throughout history. The earliest documentation of a red moon can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, around 500 BC.
Ancient civilizations had various explanations for the cause of a red moon, ranging from supernatural beliefs to scientific theories. The Greeks believed it was a sign of impending war, while the Romans thought it was a sign of the goddess of the moon being angry. Some Chinese cultures believed it was caused by a celestial dragon consuming the moon.
In the 4th century BC, Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle proposed a scientific explanation for the red moon. He believed that the Earth's shadow was responsible for the reddish hue during a lunar eclipse.
Thanks to advancements in technology and space exploration, we now know that the actual cause of a red moon is due to the Earth's atmosphere. During a lunar eclipse, the Earth's atmosphere filters out most of the blue light, leaving only red light to reach the moon and create the reddish hue we see.