The moon’s actual color is an off-white brown-gray when illuminated by the sun. However, its appearance from Earth changes due to atmospheric effects.
Italian photographer Marcella Giulia Pace has spent a decade documenting these variations and has compiled 48 images to highlight these changes.
The different colors we see result from the Earth’s atmospheric layers, which scatter the moon’s light.
Blue light scatters more than red or orange, creating noticeable color shifts, especially when the moon is near the horizon.
Atmospheric elements like water droplets, dust, or smoke can further influence its color.
Additionally, the moon’s shape can appear distorted because of the way light bends through various atmospheric densities, making it look like a flattened ellipse rather than a perfect circle.