Planetshine

Earthshine or Earthshine called sunlight that is reflected from the earth and then cast on surfaces of the non-illuminated by the sun moon. Thus the us facing dark side is dimly lit and light again achieved by a further reflection on the lunar surface as ash-gray moonlight Earth can leave us with favorable observing conditions recognize ashen shimmering with the naked eye the night side of the moon.

The best is the reflection of the Erdlichts with very narrow crescent a little before or after new moon visible unless the blinding sun is in a certain angle below the horizon. From before the correct interpretation of this phenomenon comes the poetic paraphrase of the old moon in the arms of the new.

Details

In new moon the moon is between the earth and sun, so that one could look on the dark side of the moon from the earth. But is an observer on the earth then in the light of the day. Thus, by the enlightened of scattered sunlight atmosphere a new moon - the night side without crescent moon - will not be perceived from the surface, if not an eclipse.

An observer on the moon could look at this time on the illuminated side of the Earth: The Earth would be for him as a "full Earth" to the black moon sky and rail there because of their much larger diameter and also due to clouds, snow cover and bright deserts about three times higher retroreflectivity seen about fifty times brighter than the full moon from Earth. If you consider that moonlight can be bright enough to produce distinct shadows on the earth, one might have guessed how strong the light of the full Earth illuminating Earthshine as the lunar landscape. With a simple pair of binoculars are from Earth even details on the night side of the Moon's surface in the pale glimmer ashen moonlight to detect.

For the quantitative measurement of the ash-gray moonlight, the French astronomer André Danjon developed a practical method in the first half of the 20th century. Differences in the reflection of Earthshine allow conclusions to changes in the Erdalbedo as they arise primarily through changing cloud conditions and heavy snowfalls.

The correct interpretation of the ash-gray moonlight is often Leonardo da Vinci - about 1506-1510 borne and present in the Codex Leicester - attributed records, sometimes Michael Maestlin ( 1550-1631 ). Other observers took the view that the moon itself emitting some light, or they thought that he was like water translucent and light on in the sunlight.