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Astronomy Picture of the Day
NASA ^ | 5/9/08 | P-M Hedén

Posted on 05/09/2008 2:04:16 PM PDT by sig226


Moon Meets Mercury
Credit & Copyright:
P-M Hedén (Clear Skies, TWAN)

Explanation: On Tuesday, May 6, while standing on planet Earth and sweeping your binoculars along the western horizon just after sunset, you might have encountered this arresting skyscape. The view features a slender crescent Moon and bright planet Mercury separated on the sky by only about 2 degrees. Cradled in the sunlit lunar crescent, the night side of the Moon is faintly illuminated by earthshine -- sunlight reflected from planet Earth. Of course, the clouds in silhouette and fading twilight colors are common elements in pictures of the sky after sunset, but much less often seen is inner planet Mercury, usually hiding close to the Sun in Earth's sky. Still, the coming week will be a good time to spot Mercury near the western horizon about 30 minutes after sunset. As for the Moon, tonight and tomorrow night the crescent Moon will wander close to Mars in the early evening sky.


TOPICS: Astronomy Picture of the Day
KEYWORDS: apod

1 posted on 05/09/2008 2:04:17 PM PDT by sig226
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To: fnord; Number57; KevinDavis; rdb3; MNJohnnie; thoughtomator; RightWhale; proudofthesouth; ...

2 posted on 05/09/2008 2:05:16 PM PDT by sig226 (Real power is not the ability to destroy an enemy. It is the willingness to do it.)
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To: sig226

I would love to see sights like this, but up here in Mi. all it does is either rain or snow so we have clouds most of the time...

BOOO HHHIIISSSS


3 posted on 05/09/2008 2:36:16 PM PDT by TMSuchman (American by birth, MARINE by act of GOD!!)
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To: sig226
Great pic, sig. Maybe I can check it out tomorrow. All overcast tonight.

Thanks for posting.

4 posted on 05/09/2008 3:37:36 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
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To: TMSuchman

Sunset? That’s that thing that only happens during winter right? /Fairbanks


5 posted on 05/09/2008 4:10:32 PM PDT by vpintheak (Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. Prov. 25:26)
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To: sig226

I saw this view, but, I was at work and couldn’t get photos.

I just went out in the yard and say Mercury quite easily in the west. It’s quite bright (for Mercury anyway) and you shouldn’t have problems seeing it if your sky is clear.

Even a modest telescope should show Mercury as a half-moon.


6 posted on 05/09/2008 5:48:15 PM PDT by Conan the Librarian (The Best in Life is to crush my enemies, see them driven before me, and the Dewey Decimal System)
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