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Credit & Copyright: Masaru Takeo -
courtesy:
Junichi Watanabe
(NAOJ)
Explanation:
A more
creative search by a group of amateur astronomers
in the Ehime Prefecture of Shikoku Island, Japan has found
lunar L-O-V-E.
Their secret was an examination of this sharp image of the
First Quarter Moon.
To discover it for yourself
you'll need to look closely
at details of the shadow and light along the terminator,
the line between lunar night and day
Created by the contrast of shadowed crater floors
with sunlit walls and ridges, the letter V is not too hard
to find near the center of the image.
Letters L and E are a bit more challenging though, but
can be teased out of shadow and light along the terminator at the bottom.
Of course, on the cratered surface
of the Moon the O is easy ... .
Moonwatchers on planet Earth should understand
that like the famous
lunar X, also seen here,
these lunar letters are transient and only appear
along the terminator in the hours around the Moon's first quarter phase.
So your next chance for lunar L-O-V-E is the first quarter Moon on
November 15.
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Moon
Publications with words: Moon
See also: