Shafaq News- Kirkuk

A full moon bathed the skies over Iraq’s north-central Kirkuk province in a reddish-orange glow on Friday evening, drawing residents outdoors to watch the spectacle many referred to as a “blood moon.”

Speaking to Shafaq News, lunar observation researcher Amer Khaled clarified that the phenomenon was not a lunar eclipse despite its popular nickname, noting that the reddish color appears naturally when the full moon rises or sets, as Earth’s atmosphere scatters shorter wavelengths of light, allowing red and orange hues to dominate.

Khaled attributed the moon’s unusually large appearance to the “moon illusion,” an optical effect that makes it appear larger when viewed near buildings, trees, or other objects on the horizon, although its apparent size changes very little. “The phenomenon occurs several times a year, becomes more noticeable in dusty or humid conditions, and poses no danger to Earth.”

Photographer Abbas Ali told Shafaq News that the moon’s copper-colored glow and low position above Kirkuk’s skyline attracted large crowds eager to capture the scene. Such conditions, he added, offer a rare opportunity to photograph the moon alongside the city’s landmarks.