On April 20, 2016, the moon did not turn green. The moon has never been green and will probably never turn green, despite what any viral internet memes may tell you.
This hoax started in 2016 when someone jokingly posted a meme on Facebook claiming that the moon would turn green on May 29. After it went viral, someone thought it would be funny to alter it by changing the date to 4/20 and adding that this only happens every 420 years. Allegedly, the moon turns green because of its close proximity to Uranus in the night sky. Uranus actually is green, but it's also almost 2 billion miles away, and there's really no way it could illuminate the surface of the moon. It's so dim that it's nearly impossible to see without a telescope or binoculars. Even though the moon failed to turn green, people continue to share these "Green Moon" memes on social media.
This hoax started in 2016 when someone jokingly posted a meme on Facebook claiming that the moon would turn green on May 29. After it went viral, someone thought it would be funny to alter it by changing the date to 4/20 and adding that this only happens every 420 years. Allegedly, the moon turns green because of its close proximity to Uranus in the night sky. Uranus actually is green, but it's also almost 2 billion miles away, and there's really no way it could illuminate the surface of the moon. It's so dim that it's nearly impossible to see without a telescope or binoculars. Even though the moon failed to turn green, people continue to share these "Green Moon" memes on social media.
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TechTranscript
00:00On this day in space.
00:03On April 20th, 2016, the moon did not turn green.
00:08The moon has never been green and will probably never turn green,
00:11despite what any viral internet memes may tell you.
00:14This hoax started in 2016 when someone jokingly posted a meme on Facebook
00:18claiming that the moon would turn green on May 29th.
00:21After it went viral, someone thought it would be funny to alter it by changing the date to 420
00:26and adding that this only happens every 420 years.
00:29Allegedly, the moon turns green because of its close proximity to Uranus in the night sky.
00:34Uranus actually is green, but it's also almost 2 billion miles away,
00:39and there's really no way it could illuminate the surface of the moon.
00:42It's so dim that it's nearly impossible to see without a telescope or binoculars.
00:46Even though the moon failed to turn green,
00:49people still continue to share these green moon memes on social media.
00:52And that's what didn't happen on this day in space.
00:59NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology