@Taw: I AM home, Taw. I'm Indonesian. You all got your first glimpse at me when I was away in college close to Eraser, Loc and Wizard and Mad Dog (ahh the sweet memories of broadband connection).

Funnily enough after reading this post, the moon was red in South Australia last night. Twas sitting low on the horizon after sunset, very large and very beautiful. Unfortunately I didn't have a camera on me either and me girl would have been none to impressed if I had've gone home to get it, so no snaps im afraid.

@indy, i would have known if there was any kind of eclipse or anything like an astronomical phenomenon happening anywhere in my region of the planet. we just dont get many. this wasn't a 'scheduled' event as far as i can tell. possibly something new. maybe its just some disturbances in the atmosphere? it'd have to be more than normal.

Yeah. No total lunar eclipse is slated for August 2004. Oct. 28, 2004 is the next one but won't be visible in your area.

Well, since total eclipse moons are red because of the fact that sunlight reaches it only after being refracted rather heavily by our atmosphere, maybe there was some rather heavy particulate suspension in the atmosphere that refracted the moon's light down to red? Is this the dry/forest wild fire season in your area?

Ed is correct, the moon appears red because particulate matter in the atmosphere filters out the short-wavelength light, just as the sun appears red at sunset. it's a q different red to the dark red of a total lunar eclipse though.

well it was my birthday... nothing else, no 'strange' weather..

If you weren't a scientific guy, I'd suggest then that a red moon on your birthday has some propitious significance according to an astrological belief system or whatever. Don't ask me which 'cause I don't know.

However, "blood moons" are not necessarily a good thing.

im prolly gifted with some special powers or something now