Lunar Corona and the Waxing Gibbous Moon

January 31, 2012

IridescenceGibbousMoonconj13 (2)

Photographer: Laaifat MohamedLaaifat's Web site
Summary Authors: Laaifat Mohamed; Jim Foster

The photo above showing a corona enshrouding the waxing gibbous Moon was observed above a lovely old church in Normandy, France. Jupiter is to the right of the Moon. Note the crescent shape of the clouds -- and the corona. The metallic colors of a corona results when minute water droplets that compose mid-level clouds are of the right size to deflect moonlight. The moonlight is bent and spread out by these tiny droplets in such a way to produce overlapping colors. Photo taken on December 7, 2011.

 

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