blood moon
noun
variants
or Blood Moon
plural blood moons or Blood Moons
: a full moon that coincides with a full lunar eclipse and that has an unusually reddish appearance
Note: The red color of a blood moon is caused by the diffusion of the sun's light into the shadow cast by the Earth.
And when it [the full moon] is eclipsed by the shadow of the Earth, it is called a blood moon as it turns a crimson color.—
IFLSCIENCE.com (London)
IFLSCIENCE.com (London)Through the little windows over the deep double kitchen sink, I saw a big sliver of blood moon sinking below the distant mountains.—David Erik Nelson
David Erik Nelson
also
: a full lunar eclipse during which a blood moon occurs
A blood moon is the unscientific name for a total lunar eclipse, which is when Earth passes in between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow over the moon as sunlight is blocked. —BreakingNews.ie
BreakingNews.ie Examples of blood moon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The total lunar eclipse that unveiled a reddish blood moon overnight to nearly half of Earth looked a bit different from the vantage of our celestial neighbor.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
That was enough time, however, for countless professional and amateur photographers to capture dramatic pictures of the blood moon—images that are circulating around the world today.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
When is next total lunar eclipse visible in North America?
If rain clouds cover this year’s blood moon, Californians will have to wait about a year to get a second chance at glimpsing an eclipse.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025
The blood moon can be seen in the sky over Hamburg, Germany in June 2023.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025
Related: Where will the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse be visible in March 2025?
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Why the Moon Turns Red A blood moon occurs when the moon experiences a total lunar eclipse.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
In my experience, an intermittent cloud cover can actually add to a blood moon’s spookiness.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2025
The indirect sunlight will turn the moon a haunting tangerine hue, which is why it’s known as a blood moon.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2025
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Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
That was enough time, however, for countless professional and amateur photographers to capture dramatic pictures of the blood moon—images that are circulating around the world today.
—Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
When is next total lunar eclipse visible in North America?
If rain clouds cover this year’s blood moon, Californians will have to wait about a year to get a second chance at glimpsing an eclipse.
—Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 13 Mar. 2025
The blood moon can be seen in the sky over Hamburg, Germany in June 2023.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025
Related: Where will the 'blood moon' total lunar eclipse be visible in March 2025?
—Jamie Carter, Space.com, 10 Mar. 2025
Why the Moon Turns Red A blood moon occurs when the moon experiences a total lunar eclipse.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 4 Mar. 2025
In my experience, an intermittent cloud cover can actually add to a blood moon’s spookiness.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 4 Mar. 2025
The indirect sunlight will turn the moon a haunting tangerine hue, which is why it’s known as a blood moon.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Outside Online, 13 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to blood moon
Cite this Entry
“Blood moon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blood%20moon. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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