Oh, is that why!
I subscribed to an online Page-A-Day calendar last year, and for Valentine's, they gave me a code to subscribe to one for free this year. So I opted for the Fact or Crap calendar. Browsing January, I got the answer to a puzzlement: Why do you see the whole moon even when it's new? Y'know, you look up, see that bare line of a crescent, but can also make out the rest of the circle, the rest of the moon. Why isn't the dark part completely invisible? Earthshine, that's why. Just like the moon, the Earth reflects sunlight, too - enough to let you make out the whole moon even when it's dark. The strength of the earthshine depends on Earth's cloud cover. I knew the Earth reflected light, like the moon, if not as well; I just never realized that was why a new moon is visible. UPDATE: There was a derailment in the comments; two trains of thought couldn't stay on the same track. My American pop culture references do not extend to TV-series of the 1950...
Comments
I am glad you post regularly your Wordless Wednesday picture, as you are not around that much otherwise; at least I know you are alive.;)
Hope you are having a lovely week my Scandinavian friend.;)
xo
Sorry, so much to catch up on here that I haven't been keeping up with everyone's blogs.
Tom
Tom, I had a trip to Oslo earlier this month. I was trying to capture the dawn. And I've been having trouble keeping up with others, too (as you may have noticed).
Alice, thanks for that link! Absolutely enjoyable! I own the first two seasons of the Muppet show and do want to get them all.