The sky was clear May 15, affording superb viewing of the first of two total lunar eclipses visible in Colorado this year. If you missed it, the next one will be on November 8. Then not another until March of 2025.

The phenomenon occurs during a full moon when it, the Earth, and the Sun align perfectly, blocking the Sun’s rays from directly reaching the Moon. Sometimes called a “blood moon,” the reason it appears red is because shorter wavelength blue and green light is filtered out by Earth’s atmosphere while longer wavelength orange and red light reach the Moon giving it its colorful appearance.

Able to predict lunar eclipses, Mesopotamians believed them to be a threat to their king who went into hiding until they were over. Ancient Inca thought a jaguar was attacking the Moon and would make noise and shake their spears to drive the jaguar away. Native American Luiseño people interpreted the Moon as being ill or wounded and sang and chanted during the event until it was well again.