lunar phases

[Valerio Tarone]

The question for an expert in moon phases and also for Roman. At the end of september 2008, I was in Abruzzo national park, Italy. I was back from a search of the marsican bear in a group, after midnigth,I saw an image that's still in my mind, but I didn't shot because I should have change the objective, insert the cable, control the reduction of noise and shutter time, with the disagreement of the group. The moon was rising from east but red.
Do the moon phases differ ? can they be preview?

[Cal Walters]

Valerio, Is your question regarding the phase or the color? or both? I'll start by saying I used to be an amateur astronomer - emphasis on amateur. However, what i recall is that reddening of the moon generally occurs for 2 reasons - dust and junk in our atmosphere (this is sometime referred to as atmospheric extinction) or a lunar eclipse. Had you been there in August of that year there was a chance it could have been a partial eclipse - but there was not one in September. There is also some data which suggests that as phases increase reddening does indeed occur - however, I think these are at levels which would have to measured with precise instruments from a space craft - like the Apollo and Clementine Missions. Here is what they found, "Because of the increase in the Moon’s albedo with wavelength from visible to near-IR wavelengths, the shadow-hiding mechanism predicts that the opposition surge is inversely correlated with wavelength to produce a reddening of the lunar albedo as the phase angle increases (Irvine, 1966, Ilelfexlstein et al., 1996). Early measuretnents (Mikhail, 1970) confirm the prediction."Knock your self out if you want to dig deeper (<cite>trs-new.jpl.nasa.gov/dspace/bitstream/2014/23629/1/96-0074.pdf). However, given that there was no eclipse then, and it was moon rise you'd likely have to guess it was from atmospheric extinction. But explanations aside - keep the memory - it will last longer.
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[Alfred Forns]

Hi Cal Thanks for the explanation, interesting to say the least !!! ... btw just witness an awesome moonrise last Tuesday !!!

[Valerio Tarone]

I believe it's interesting for night photography , Roman and me. I'm now ready for night photography. I hope to hear... I'm leaving for a photoadventure in Sardegna, wild and rough. Hope well for the Sardena's bandits!

[Valerio Tarone]

Cat
thank you,I'll go to see NASA, ..within 25 days because I'm leaving.