Is the light on the Moon just sunlight reflecting off Earth’s surface?
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In the Apollo 11 photo (1969): This is a classic image of a solar eclipse seen from space (frame AS11-42-6179). The Moon is positioned between the spacecraft and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s direct light and revealing the solar corona around it. The dark part of the Moon visible in the image is not being illuminated by Earth’s reflected light at that moment — it is the night side of the Moon, with the Sun behind it. The glow we see comes mainly from direct sunlight (at the edge) and from the atmospheric diffusion/corona.
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Is the light on the Moon just sunlight reflecting off Earth’s surface?
In the Apollo 11 photo (1969): This is a classic image of a solar eclipse seen from space (frame AS11-42-6179). The Moon is positioned between the spacecraft and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s direct light and revealing the solar corona around it. The dark part of the Moon visible in the image is not being illuminated by Earth’s reflected light at that moment — it is the night side of the Moon, with the Sun behind it. The glow we see comes mainly from direct sunlight (at the edge) and from the atmospheric diffusion/corona.
Breathtakingly beautiful.
Space is fucking crazy. And cool.