Photography
On Sunday night, the first total lunar eclipse of 2022 turned the moon red — known as a blood moon — for sky watchers across the globe. This full lunar eclipse happened during a super moon as well, when the moon is at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger than normal.
Daniel Munoz/AFP/Getty Images
A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes directly between the sun and moon. As the moon is swallowed by Earth’s shadow, some sunlight skims around the edges of Earth through our atmosphere and red light is scattered toward the moon.
Daniel Munoz/AFP/Getty Images
May 16 | Barcelona
The moon during an eclipse behind Tibidabo amusement park.
Marta Perez/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Marta Perez/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
May 15 | Temple City, Calif.
This combination of pictures shows the moon in various stages of the total lunar eclipse during the first blood moon of the year.
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
May 15 | La Paz, Bolivia
A man takes a photo during the first blood moon lunar eclipse of the year at the Killi Killi lookout.
Juan Karita/AP
Juan Karita/AP
May 16 | Frankfurt, Germany
A lunar eclipse begins as the full moon sets over the hills of the Taunus mountains.
Michael Probst/AP
Michael Probst/AP
May 16 | Skopje, North Macedonia
The moon is seen during the lunar eclipse.
Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters
Ognen Teofilovski/Reuters
May 15 | Huntington Beach, Calif.
A total lunar eclipse creates a “super blood moon.” The eclipse coincided with a super moon, which occurs when the moon is at its closest point to Earth.
Michael Heiman/Getty Images
Michael Heiman/Getty Images
May 16 | Rio de Janeiro
People watch a blood moon during a total lunar eclipse.
Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
May 15 | Mexico City
The moon during the eclipse.
Víctor Abreu/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Víctor Abreu/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
May 16 | Skopje, North Macedonia
The moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse.
Robert Atanasovski/AFP/Getty Images
Robert Atanasovski/AFP/Getty Images
May 15 | Santiago, Chile
The blood moon is seen during a penumbral lunar eclipse.
Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images
Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images
May 15, | Los Angeles
The St. Andrew's Ukrainian Orthodox Church is seen as the moon moves through the shadow of the Earth during the eclipse.
David Swanson/Reuters
David Swanson/Reuters
May 16 | Rio de Janeiro
The blood moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse.
Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images
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Credits
Photo editing and production by Morgan Coates, text by Matthew Cappucci and Kasha Patel