                        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.

                                2023 March 25

                         Venus and the Da Vinci Glow
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Giorgia Hofer

   Explanation: On March 23 early evening skygazers could watch Venus and
   a young crescent moon, both near the western horizon. On that date
   Earth's brilliant evening star, faint lunar night side and slender
   sunlit crescent were captured in this telephoto skyscape posing
   alongside a church tower from Danta di Cadore, Dolomiti, Italy. Of
   course the subtle lunar illumination is earthshine, earthlight
   reflected from the Moon's night side. A description of earthshine, in
   terms of sunlight reflected by Earth's oceans illuminating the Moon's
   dark surface, was written over 500 years ago by Leonardo da Vinci. On
   March 24, from some locations the Moon could be seen to occult or pass
   in front of Venus. Around the planet tonight, a waxing lunar crescent
   will appear near the Pleiades star cluster.

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