Blood Moon

BLOG

Singapore, 16^th April 2014

Many parts of the world, from America via Singapore to Australia, were able to experience the so called Blood Moon, a celestial event that happens rarely. It happens when the full moon travels through Earth’s shadow turning it a reddish orange. Light from the sun that reaches the moon passes through Earth’s atmosphere and as the scientists explain the colour of the moon is determined by the amount of volcanic ash and other aerosols present in the atmosphere. This phenomenon has given rise to many prophecies over time, specifically biblical meanings mostly in terms of indicating the end of the world…but, many blood moons later, the world is still here with clear scientific explanations on how it happens.

What is interesting from a lighting point of view is that it shows that lighting and its resulting effect can be affected by the medium it travels through. In this case the particles in the air influence the path of light and its refraction through the air. In other cases it is light when it travels through water. Well known is the breaking of light through a prism, an image famously used on Pink Floyd’s album “the Other Side of the Moon”, which title in this context is rather appropriate…

While we generally design light as being a pure form we always have to realise that light travels through air, through water, through translucent materials and what is more reflect from objects and materials with different reflection properties varying from smooth polished to matt diffuse surfaces which can each have different colours. Understanding these “natural” effects are important and part of the way we manipulate light to create the desired lighting effect in our designs.

Light Watch 5-62: The Blood Moon as we saw it…