Blood Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse: Stunning Photos Capture August's Sturgeon Moon - BBC Weather
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Stunning photos capture August's Sturgeon Moon
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Brixham Bill
By
Matt Taylor
Lead Weather Presenter
Published
12 minutes ago
The August full Moon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, illuminated the sky over the UK on Thursday night. As an added bonus, the Sun, Earth, and Moon lined up to create a lunar eclipse in parts of the world.
BBC Weather Watchers captured stunning photos of the celestial display—which reached its peak pre-dawn across the UK. In many areas, the Moon took on a reddish appearance.
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Selsey Bill
Image caption: Breaks in the cloud above the White Cliffs meant WeatherWatcher 'Selsey Bill' got a view of the partial eclipse.
Why did the moon appear red in colour?
During a partial lunar eclipse, as experienced in the UK, the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, causing the Moon to temporarily move into the Earth's shadow. Only part of the Moon entered the darkest section of that shadow, known as the umbra, so it was not completely cut off from sunlight. Sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere is scattered, with shorter blue wavelengths scattering more easily, while more of the longer wavelength red light reached the Moon. These wavelengths are then reflected back towards Earth, giving the eclipsed Moon its reddish color.
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Yen Milne
Image caption: Stunning view of the partial lunar eclipse in Petersfield, Hampshire
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Martin B
Image caption: Clear skies meant an uninterrupted view for Martin B in Kent. The next lunar eclipse visible in the UK will be in February 2027.
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Omesh
Image caption: Full Moon perched above the tree tops in Denham, Buckinghamshire
Image source: BBC WeatherWatchers/Frances B
Image caption: A setting moon in Guildford, Hampshire
Why is called the Sturgeon Moon?
As with the other full Moons across the year, it gets its name from events happening in nature around the same time. Historically, full Moons have been given nicknames to help people keep track of time and monitor the changing seasons. The August full Moon gets its name from the time of year when when sturgeon fish are abundant in the rivers of North America.
Our next full moon, on 26 September, is called the Harvest or Corn Moon as it's the time of year when crops are traditionally gathered. However, here in the UK the extreme heat of the summer has meant the harvest has been earlier this year for many.
Image source: Fatih Kurt/Getty
Image caption: The partial eclipse was visible in other parts of the world too, including here in Ankara, Turkey
Image source: Lorenzo Di Cola/Getty
Image caption: A partial lunar eclipse setting over Rocca Calascio fortress is seen from Calascio, Italy
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