Bhubaneswar: We always spot a white glowing moon in the night sky.
However, much to the surprise of sky gazers, various studies have claimed that the moon is not white, but grey in colour.
Data collected by astronomers showing the moon’s surface suggests that the natural satellite is made up of minerals such as oxygen, metals and silicon, and the volcanic rocks are behind its unique grey appearance.
However, at times it also appears green because of the presence of rare minerals like olivine.
During daytime, the moon looks pale and white because of the bright sun. Blazing sunlight makes the moon look less vibrant.
During the night, the moon appears to be yellowish or orangish because of the distribution of light through the dense layers of the air.
The moon also embraces different colours during different times due to its surroundings.
During a full lunar eclipse, the moon appears red because the Earth blocks most of the sunlight, allowing only filtered red light to reach the moon.
A rare blue moon is visible when smoke or dust, mostly after a volcanic eruption, distributes light differently in the atmosphere.