For years, people believed that the moon was a source of light and heat, and they thought it gave them energy and made them happy. According to this belief, the phrase “sunshine by moonlight” is meant to be metaphorical, not scientific.

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

But since the 1960s, scientists have known that the moon is an inert rock.

So can you get sunburned by moonlight? Not really—but there are some things to be wary of when it’s out in full force.

The moon is not a star.

The moon is not a star.

The sun and the moon are two different things, planets and stars. The sun is a star, but it’s also a planet with its gravity and atmosphere.

The Earth orbits around the sun, so we always see each other. But because of how far away they are from each other—roughly 93 million miles—the moon looks much smaller than the sun does to us here on Earth.

The best way for humans to view our neighboring celestial bodies is through telescopes or binoculars that magnify what we see up close. If you want to get an idea of how far away these objects are from us on Earth.

People can’t get sunburned by moonlight.

One of the most common questions is whether the moon can cause sunburn, and the answer is no. From a scientific perspective, getting a tan from moonlight or any other form of natural light is impossible.

No matter how long you stare at the moon, you’re not going to get any more vitamin D in your system than if you were staring at a lamp or a wall for that time.

This isn’t just because we all know by now that sunlight does not come from the sun—it’s also because there aren’t enough photons in Earth’s atmosphere for us to use as energy or food.

Conclusion

So there you have it! You can’t get a tan from the moon, but you can if you’re in a sunny place. And if you do get sunburned by moonlight, be glad that it doesn’t hurt more than getting burned on another day.