Experiencing a lunar eclipse (often referred to as a “blood moon”) is a great free experience to add to your bucket list.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly behind the earth, into its shadow (umbra), while the sun is in alignment with both the earth and the moon. This is why it is only possible to see a lunar eclipse on the night of a full moon. The earth’s shadow blocks the sun, and the light refracts through the shadow, causing it to look red, due to Rayleigh scattering of the blue light.
Unlike a solar eclipse (when the moon blocks out the sun), a lunar eclipse can be viewed anywhere on the night side of the earth and can last for a few hours, instead of just a few minutes.
To see a lunar eclipse for yourself, add it to your bucket list and keep an eye on the news. Most news outlets will tell you when the next lunar eclipse or blood moon will happen, or you can go to Space.com where they update regularly when the next partial or full lunar eclipse is happening.
The experience of seeing the moon when it is a dusty red color is something that must be experienced at least once! Want to start a bucket list of your own or find more unique bucket list ideas? Click here to make your own bucket list online, or search for the Buckil bucket list app on Google Play for Android or the App Store for iOS.
