Shafaq News- Kirkuk
A full moon bathed the skies over Iraq’s north-centralKirkuk province in a reddish-orange glow on Friday evening, drawing residentsoutdoors to watch the spectacle many referred to as a “blood moon.”
Speaking to Shafaq News, lunar observation researcherAmer Khaled clarified that the phenomenon was not a lunar eclipse despite itspopular nickname, noting that the reddish color appears naturally when the fullmoon rises or sets, as Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths oflight, allowing red and orange hues to dominate.
Khaled attributed the moon’s unusually largeappearance to the “moon illusion,” an optical effect that makes it appearlarger when viewed near buildings, trees, or other objects on the horizon,although its apparent size changes very little. “The phenomenon occurs severaltimes a year, becomes more noticeable in dusty or humid conditions, and posesno danger to Earth.”
Photographer Abbas Ali told Shafaq News that the moon’scopper-colored glow and low position above Kirkuk’s skyline attracted largecrowds eager to capture the scene. Such conditions, he added, offer a rareopportunity to photograph the moon alongside the city’s landmarks.