Astronomy Picture of the Day - A Lunar Corona with Jupiter and Saturn

APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 19 Jan, 2021 | Image Credit & Copyright: Alessandra Masi

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: Why does a cloudy moon sometimes appear colorful? The effect, called a lunar corona, is created by the quantum mechanical diffraction of light around individual, similarly-sized water droplets in an intervening but mostly-transparent cloud. Since light of different colors has different wavelengths, each color diffracts differently. Lunar Coronae are one of the few quantum mechanical color effects that can be easily seen with the unaided eye. Solar coronae are also sometimes evident. The featured composite image was captured a few days before the close Great Conjunction between Saturn and Jupiter last month. In the foreground, the Italian village of Pieve di Cadore is visible in front of the Sfornioi Mountains.

[MtnClimber]

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.

[MtnClimber]

[MtnClimber]

Pinging the APOD list.

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[BipolarBob]

What town is this? It’s a marvelous picture.

[Bearshouse]

Village of Pieve Di Cadore Italy- Sfornioi Mountains in the bg. From the link.

[MtnClimber]

That is Pieve di Cadore, Italy. Way up on the northern border.

[Lurker]

Beautiful. Thanks.

L

[BipolarBob]

Thanks. it’s beautiful. I thought it might have been a Colorado town but couldn’t make out which one.

[reviled downesdad]

Like the Christmas star on top of the building under the moon.
Beautiful picture.

[thinden]

Check this out

[I Drive Too Fast]

Cool picture. Thanks.

[txnativegop]

Beautiful I need the distraction right now.