Astronomy Picture of the Day

                         Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! [1] Each day a different image or photograph of our
 fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a
                           professional astronomer.

                               2019 February 12
                                      [2]
                        Plane Crossing a Crescent Moon
       Image Credit & Copyright: Olivier Staiger (Binounistan.com [3] )

Explanation: No, this is not a good way to get to the Moon [4] . [5] What is
pictured is a chance superposition of an airplane and the Moon. The contrail
[6]  would normally appear white, but the large volume of air toward the
setting Sun preferentially knocks away blue light [7] , giving the reflected
trail [8]  a bright red hue. Far in the distance, well behind the plane, is a
crescent Moon [9] , also slightly reddened. Captured a month ago above Valais
[10] , Switzerland [11] , the featured image was taken so soon after sunset
that planes in the sky were still in sunlight, as were their contrails [12] .
Within minutes, unfortunately, the impromptu sky show ended. The plane crossed
the Moon [13]  and moved out of sight. The Moon set [14] . The contrail became
unilluminated and then dispersed.

                       Tomorrow's picture: old blue eye

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    Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff [26] (MTU [27] ) & Jerry Bonnell [28]
                                  (UMCP [29] )
          NASA Official:  Phillip Newman Specific rights apply [30] .
              NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices [31]
              A service of: ASD [32]  at NASA [33]  / GSFC [34]
                           & Michigan Tech. U. [35]
----------
Site notes:
  [1] archivepix.html
  [2] image/1902/PlaneTrailMoon_Staiger_1555.jpg
  [3] http://www.bibounistan.com/
  [4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQR0bXO_yI8
  [5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Me_to_the_M...
  [6] ap041013.html
  [7] http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General...
  [8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrail
  [9] https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/review/dr-marc-ea...
  [10] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgeFld1l_BQ
  [11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switzerland
  [12] https://science-edu.larc.nasa.gov/contrail-ed...
  [13] ap180912.html
  [14] ap180604.html
  [15] ap190211.html
  [16] archivepix.html
  [17] lib/apsubmit2015.html
  [18] lib/aptree.html
  [19] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apo...
  [20] calendar/allyears.html
  [21] /apod.rss
  [22] lib/edlinks.html
  [23] lib/about_apod.html
  [24] http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?dat...
  [25] ap190213.html
  [26] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  [27] http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  [28] https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnel...
  [29] http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  [30] lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  [31] https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Priv...
  [32] https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  [33] https://www.nasa.gov/
  [34] https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  [35] http://www.mtu.edu/

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