Young Moon and Mercury
August 09, 2016
Photographer: Mohamed Laaifat
Summary Authors: Mohamed Laaifat; Jim Foster
Shown above is a thin crescent Moon and the planet Mercury (the white dot at very top) as observed from Caen City, Normandy, France, in the early evening of August 4, 2016. The young Moon (two days old) was just minutes from setting in the twilight sky. The youngest Moon ever observed with the unaided eye was only 15 1/2 hours old (past the exact hour and minute of the new phase).
Tonight, the Moon approaches first quarter and is well above the western horizon at sunset. Looking low in the southwest, Jupiter and Venus are now slowly approaching each other -- currently, they're about 18 degrees apart (two fists apart when held out at arm's length).
Photo Details: Nikon D5200 camera; sigma 70-300 mm (300); f/5.6; ISO 800; 1/125 sec. exposure.