Bloodmoon

Bloodmoon (or blood moon) is a term used in astronomy and popular culture to refer to different phenomena and titles. In astronomy, the blood moon describes the Moon’s reddish appearance during a total lunar eclipse, when Earth’s shadow casts light through the atmosphere. The term is colloquial rather than a formal scientific designation, and the color results from the scattering of sunlight by atmospheric particles.

In popular culture, Blood Moon is often used to evoke danger, mystery, or supernatural themes. The best-known media use is the 2003 expansion Bloodmoon for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, developed by Bethesda. The expansion adds the island of Solstheim as a new setting, introduces additional creatures and quests, and includes the option to become a werewolf through lycanthropy as a gameplay element.

Beyond the video game expansion, Blood Moon or Bloodmoon has been used as a title in novels, films, and music, reflecting the recurring imagery of a red-tinted moon to convey intensity or apocalyptic atmosphere. The term’s associations vary by work, and they are generally fictional rather than literal scientific references.

See also: Total lunar eclipse; Werewolves in fiction; List of works titled Blood Moon or Bloodmoon.