                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2022 October 14

                      The Falcon and the Hunter's Moon
                  Image Credit & Copyright: Michael Seeley

   Explanation: The Full Moon of October 9th was the second Full Moon
   after the northern hemisphere autumnal equinox, traditionally called
   the Hunter's Moon. According to lore, the name is a fitting one because
   this Full Moon lights the night during a time for hunting in
   preparation for the coming winter months. In this snapshot, a nearly
   full Hunter's Moon was captured just after sunset on October 8, rising
   in skies over Florida's Space Coast. Rising from planet Earth a Falcon
   9 rocket pierces the bright lunar disk from the photographer's vantage
   point. Ripples and fringes along the edge of the lunar disk appear as
   supersonic shock waves generated by the rocket's passage change the
   atmosphere's index of refraction.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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