One of many moons in the sky
Rahman Mohamed

Retrieved April 2015, CBC.ca

There it is.  The big circle in the sky.  It’s the biggest sight in the cosmos.  It changes the by day but returns every month.  For many this weekend it’ll be blood red

The reason the moon will be blood red this weekend is because of the lunar eclipse.  Lunar eclipses usually occur twice a year.  They come when the Earth passes between the moon and the sun.  According to NASA a solar eclipse usually occurs once every 18 months when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun.  Both include a Moon-Earth-Sun line-up.

A Full Eclipse – the Earth/Moon passing between the Moon/Earth and Sun and casting a full shadow are rare.  When there’s a full solar eclipse the sun disappears and there’s a black circle in the sky.  It only lasts a few minutes.  On the other hand a lunar eclipse last for hours and instead of the moon disappearing from the sky it becomes blood red.  The Moon is in the Earth’s shadow but the Sun’s light still reaches it.  The light reflects and the moon is seen to Earthlings.

Today most people who see the moon, whether or not there’s an eclipse, just see a rock. For many the moon is still part of culture.

For over 3000 years, on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese calendar, the moon festival has been part of Chinese and Vietnamese tradition.  For others it has played a role in religion.  The Muslim calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the new moon marking the first day of the month.  The Zodiac Calendar, the calendar that chooses your astrological sign that defines your future is also a lunar calendar.  Astrology is based on constellations of stars but the calendar, the division of the signs, is based on the lunar cycle.  Another moon, the Harvest Moon, marks the time farmers begin reaping their crops.  It’s the largest moon of the year and occurs closest to the Autumnal or Fall Equinox, the time in autumn when the sun passes directly over the equator and days start to get shorter.

There might be many moons, but only one “man” lives on the biggest piece of cheese close to Earth