Twilight, Crescent Moon, and Da Vinci Glow

Photographer: Adeel Shafiq Summary Author: Adeel Shafiq Twilight is the magical time of day when a glow still pervades the sky even though the Sun has already set. It happens because Earth has an atmosphere that scatters the Sun’s lingering...

Photographer: Adeel Shafiq   Summary Author: Adeel ShafiqTwilight is the magical time of day when a glow still pervades the sky even though the Sun has already set. It happens because Earth has an atmosphere that scatters the Sun’s lingering rays. On worlds with no atmospheres, such as the Moon, the sky falls instantly dark after sunset.

Earthshine or da Vinci Glow is the faint shadow or ghostly image of the full moon between the horns of a crescent moon. For thousands of years, humans marveled at the beauty of this ashen glow, or "the old Moon in the new Moon's arms." But what was it? No one knew until the 16th century when Leonardo figured it out and hence the name da Vinci Glow. Earthshine occurs when sunlight reflects off the Earth's surface and illuminates the unlit portion of the Moon's surface. Photo taken on September 17, 2023, near Lahore, Pakistan.

Lahore, Pakistan Coordinates: 31.582045, 74329376

Related Links:

Crescent Moon and Earthshine Above Costa da Caparica, Portugal

Adeel’s Website