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Credit & Copyright: Jin Wang
Explanation:
The
full Moon
and
Earth's shadow
set together in this island skyscape.
The alluring scene was captured Tuesday morning, August 20, from
Fiji, South Pacific Ocean, planet Earth.
For early morning risers shadowset in the western sky is a
daily apparition.
Still, the grey-blue shadow
is often overlooked in
favor of a brighter eastern horizon.
Extending through the dense atmosphere,
Earth's setting shadow is bounded above by a pinkish glow or
anti-twilight
arch.
Known as the Belt of Venus, the arch's lovely color is due to
backscattering of reddened light
from the opposite horizon's rising Sun.
Of course, the setting Moon's light is
reddened by the long sight-line through the atmosphere.
But on that date the full Moon could be called a seasonal Blue Moon,
the third full Moon in a season with four full Moons.
And even though the
full
Moon is always impressive
near the horizon, August's full Moon is considered by some
the first of four consecutive full Supermoons in 2024.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
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: belt of Venus
Publications with words: belt of Venus
See also: