A young [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] crescent Moon shared the western sky with thin clouds and the sister stars [
http://www.naic.edu…] of the Pleiades cluster in this early evening skyscape recorded on April 19th. Astronomical images of the well-known Pleiades [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] often show the star cluster's alluring blue reflection nebulae, but they are washed-out here in the clouds and bright moonlight. While the 3-day old Moon is overexposed, surface features can be seen on the dim lunar night side, illuminated by earthshine [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] - light from sunlit planet Earth. Only a week earlier [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], brilliant Venus also posed near the sister stars. Of course, Venus has not yet wandered too far from the Pleiades and still rules western skies as the evening star [
http://www.baltastr…].
Explanation
A young [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] crescent Moon shared the western sky with thin clouds and the sister stars [
http://www.naic.edu…] of the Pleiades cluster in this early evening skyscape recorded on April 19th. Astronomical images of the well-known Pleiades [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] often show the star cluster's alluring blue reflection nebulae, but they are washed-out here in the clouds and bright moonlight. While the 3-day old Moon is overexposed, surface features can be seen on the dim lunar night side, illuminated by earthshine [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…] - light from sunlit planet Earth. Only a week earlier [
http://antwrp.gsfc.…], brilliant Venus also posed near the sister stars. Of course, Venus has not yet wandered too far from the Pleiades and still rules western skies as the evening star [
http://www.baltastr…].
Explanation
