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This photograph was taken about three days after new Moon, when earthshine was still prominent. The right portion of the image shows the overexposed sunlit lunar surface, while the rest of the image is illuminated by reflected light from the Earth. The phase of the Earth as seen from the Moon is exactly opposite the phase of the Moon as seen from Earth, so Earthshine is most prominent just after and before new Moon. The lunar maria are easily seen, as is the crater Tycho and its ray system near the bottom (southern) side of the image. The craters Plato and Copernicus can also be made out on either side of Mare Imbrium. During the same evening, I observed the earthlit portion of the Moon in a 16" f/4.5 Starsplitter; the most prominent features were the bright crater Aristarchus (to the upper left of Copernicus) and the dark-floored crater Grimaldi near the limb. The slightly bluish, slate-gray color of earthshine seen here closely approximates what was seen visually. Instrument: C-9.25
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