The moon appears orange due to a combination of factors, including:

- Rayleigh scattering: This is the scattering of sunlight by particles in the atmosphere. Blue light is scattered more than other colours, so the remaining light appears orange.

- Mie scattering: This is the scattering of sunlight by particles that are larger than the wavelength of light. Dust and water droplets in the atmosphere can cause Mie scattering, which can also contribute to the moon appearing orange.

- Ozone absorption: Ozone in the atmosphere absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which can also give the moon an orange hue.

The moon can also appear orange when it is near the horizon. This is because the light from the moon has to travel through more of the atmosphere to reach our eyes, and the blue light is scattered more by the atmosphere. This leaves the remaining light appearing more orange.