glenc
30-10-2006, 06:28 PM
Credit & Copyright: Iván Éder (http://eder.csillagaszat.hu/) Explanation: There's something behind these clouds. Those faint graceful arcs, upon inspection, are actually far, far in the distance. They are the Earth's Moon (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060907.html) and the planet Venus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Venus). Both the Moon and Venus (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050913.html) are bright enough to be seen during the day, and both are quite capable of showing a crescent phase (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060618.html). To see Venus, which appears quite small, in a crescent phase (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060110.html) requires binoculars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars) or a telescope. In the above dramatic daytime image (http://eder.csillagaszat.hu/digital/venus_fedes/Ven_fed.html) taken from Budapest (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budapest), Hungary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungary), the Moon and Venus (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060723.html) shared a similar crescent phase a few minutes before the Moon eclipsed (http://www.astronomy.no/venus080604/venusocc/images.html) the larger but more distant world. About an hour later, Venus reappeared.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0610/venusmoon_eder_big.jpg
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0610/venusmoon_eder_big.jpg