the Moon may appear gray, yellow, red, blue or even purple depending on viewing conditions, according to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for November 1, 2026. The featured image brings together Full moon photographs taken by one astrophotographer over a decade from locations across Italy.
Outside Earth’s atmosphere, the Moon appears as a brown-tinged gray body because its surface is visible through reflected sunlight. From Earth, however, the atmosphere can alter its appearance, particularly when the Moon is close to the horizon.
Red or yellow tones generally occur when the Moon is low in the sky. Its light travels through a longer path in the atmosphere, where some blue light is scattered away. Fine dust in the air can contribute to the effect.
Blue Moons are less common and may indicate an atmosphere containing larger dust particles. The cause of the purple Moon shown in the collection is uncertain and could result from several combined effects.
The final image records the total lunar eclipse of July 2018. During that event, the Moon passed into Earth’s shadow and appeared faintly red as sunlight was refracted through the air surrounding the planet.
Sources: NASA Breaking News.