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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Twilight with Moon and Planets
NASA ^ | 21 Feb, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)

Posted on 02/21/2026 1:25:23 PM PST by MtnClimber

Explanation: Only two days after the February New Moon's annular eclipse of the Sun, a slender lunar crescent poses above the western horizon after sunset in this wintry twilight skyscape. Its nightside faintly illuminated by earthshine, the young Moon is joined by three bright planets in the mostly clear, early evening skies above the village of Kirazli, Turkiye. Inner planet Venus appears closest to the horizon. Near the beginning of its 2026 performance as planet Earth's evening star, brilliant Venus is seen through the warm sunset glare near picture center. Straight above Venus, innermost planet Mercury is easy to spot as it stands remarkably high above the horizon even as the twilight sky is growing dark. Outer planet Saturn, most distant of the naked-eye planets, is found just left of the Moon's sunlit crescent.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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1 posted on 02/21/2026 1:25:23 PM PST by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 02/21/2026 1:25:45 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

3 posted on 02/21/2026 1:26:14 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

4 posted on 02/21/2026 1:27:17 PM PST by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

VERY cool.


5 posted on 02/21/2026 1:28:20 PM PST by Jane Long (Jesus is Lord!)
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To: MtnClimber

I love twilight shots, they are so peaceful.


6 posted on 02/21/2026 1:30:05 PM PST by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


7 posted on 02/21/2026 1:52:10 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

I had no idea that Mercury could be so far out from the Sun!


8 posted on 02/21/2026 2:12:42 PM PST by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: Empire_of_Liberty
And this isn't even the max.

Apparition     Date    Elongation Magnitude
---------- ----------- ---------- ---------
 Evening   2026 Feb 19   18.1°E     -0.2
 Morning   2026 Apr  3   27.8°W     +0.5
 Evening   2026 Jun 15   24.5°E     +0.7
 Morning   2026 Aug  2   19.5°W     +0.4
 Evening   2026 Oct 12   25.2°E     +0.2
 Morning   2026 Nov 20   19.6°W     -0.3

From Mercury Chaser's Calculator

9 posted on 02/21/2026 2:59:24 PM PST by KarlInOhio (Dept. of Education should teach about Nietzsche: DOGE didn't kill it and now it's stronger than ever)
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


10 posted on 02/21/2026 3:42:30 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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