                        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.

                                2024 June 20

                           Sandy and the Moon Halo
               Image Credit & Copyright: Marcella Giulia Pace

   Explanation: Last April's Full Moon shines through high clouds near the
   horizon, casting shadows in this garden-at-night skyscape. Along with
   canine sentinel Sandy watching the garden gate, the wide-angle snapshot
   also captured the bright Moon's 22 degree ice halo. But June's bright
   Full Moon will cast shadows too. This month, the Moon's exact full
   phase occurs at 01:08 UTC June 22. That's a mere 28 hours or so after
   today's June solstice (at 20:51 UTC June 20), the moment when the Sun
   reaches its maximum northern declination. Known to some as a Strawberry
   Moon, June's Full Moon is at its southernmost declination, and of
   course will create its own 22 degree halos in hazy night skies.

                     Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

