AstronomyPictureoftheDay

Discoverthecosmos! Eachdayadifferentimageorphotographofourfascinatinguniverseis featured,alongwithabriefexplanationwrittenbyaprofessionalastronomer.

2022July25

FindtheNewMoon
ImageCredit&Copyright: MohamadSoltanolkotabi

Explanation: CanyoufindtheMoon? Thisusuallysimpletaskcanbequitedifficult. EventhoughtheMoonisaboveyourhorizonhalfofthetime,its phasecanbe anythingfromcrescenttofull. ThefeaturedimagewastakeninlateMayfrom SantMartíd'Empúries, Spain,overthe MediterraneanSeaintheearlymorning. Onereason youcan'tfind thismoonisbecauseitisveryneartoits newphase, whenverylittleofthehalfilluminatedby theSunisvisibletotheEarth. Anotherreasonisbecausethismoonis nearthehorizon andsoseenthroughalongpathof Earth'satmosphere--apathwhich dimsthealreadyfaintcrescent. Anycrescentmoonis onlyvisiblenearthedirectiontheSun, andsoonlylocatablenearsunriseofsunset. TheMoon runsthroughallofits phasesinamonth (moon-th), andthismonththethinnest sliverofacrescent--anewmoon-- willoccurinthreedays.

Tomorrow'spicture:noctilucentcomet


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