Starship Asterisk*

Find the New Moon

Explanation: Can you find the Moon? This usually simple task can be quite difficult. Even though the Moon is above your horizon half of the time, its phase can be anything from crescent to full. The featured image was taken in late May from Sant Martí d'Empúries, Spain, over the Mediterranean Sea in the early morning. One reason you can't find this moon is because it is very near to its new phase, when very little of the half illuminated by the Sun is visible to the Earth. Another reason is because this moon is near the horizon and so seen through a long path of Earth's atmosphere -- a path which dims the already faint crescent. Any crescent moon is only visible near the direction the Sun, and so only locatable near sunrise or sunset. The Moon runs through all of its phases in a month (moon-th), and this month the thinnest sliver of a crescent -- a new moon -- will occur in three days.

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Start from the black buoy in the water, go straight up halfway to the height of the sky that you can see in this image. And go a little to the right. There is is, the new Moon.

Beautiful image!

Ann

An example of why we often use pseudocolor palettes when trying to get more out of an image. I've converted the original to grayscale and then applied a common pseudocolor mapping used for astronomical images. It results in an image that lets our eyes see more detail than would otherwise be apparent.
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Chris Peterson wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:14 am An example of why we often use pseudocolor palettes when trying to get more out of an image. I've converted the original to grayscale and then applied a common pseudocolor mapping used for astronomical images. It results in an image that lets our eyes see more detail than would otherwise be apparent.
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ds9.jpeg

Interesting that in your picture it's the buoy almost in line with the moon that becomes hard to see.

To my eyes it looks waning. Or didn't I find the right moon after all?

gorade wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:18 am To my eyes it looks waning. Or didn't I find the right moon after all?

It is - who said otherwise? Text says "a new moon will occur in three days" - i.e. it's waning.

Aha! You are right. No one can find the new moon. Not yet

Chris Peterson wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:14 am An example of why we often use pseudocolor palettes when trying to get more out of an image. I've converted the original to grayscale and then applied a common pseudocolor mapping used for astronomical images. It results in an image that lets our eyes see more detail than would otherwise be apparent.
_
ds9.jpeg

I liked the “I just dropped acid” effect! Reminds me very much of the end of 2001.

This was a very good one of these “find the moon” shot but it would be tougher if they would quit putting the moon near the center every time.

Eric

Even though the Moon is above your horizon half of the time...

Unless you live in a valley.

I don't see it! Must be a Houdini Moon! Even doggy's befuddled!

One can't find a new moon at all. The slither of moon visible is OLD MOON!

gmPhil wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:10 am

gorade wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 7:18 am To my eyes it looks waning. Or didn't I find the right moon after all?

It is - who said otherwise? Text says "a new moon will occur in three days" - i.e. it's waning.

It looks like a waning crescent to be precise on its way to becoming a new moon. The text says the photo was taken in late May so it makes no bearing when the new moon in July is. The data says that the New Moon in May occurred on 30th May, so I would guess this photo was taken no less or later than 29 May.

gorade wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 8:16 am Aha! You are right. No one can find the new moon. Not yet

The new moon is easy to find during a solar eclipse.

Hi APOD,

I've been a daily viewer since Astro in college in the early 2000s. I just wanted to point out a quick typo though. The text should read "sunrise or sunset" not "sunrise of sunset."

Keep up the incredible work!

The pic. of rhe new moon got flipped horizontally ! And it was not taken in Spain, cos I can see the Loch Ness Monster below it !

"Even though the Moon is above your horizon half of the time"

is incorrect. depends on the phase, time of year and location

fred888 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 1:25 pm "Even though the Moon is above your horizon half of the time"

is incorrect. depends on the phase, time of year and location

How so?

Did someone see the Loch Ness monster? I see a Florida golf course at high tide in the year 2050.

lefthip wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:02 pm Did someone see the Loch Ness monster? I see a Florida golf course at high tide in the year 2050.

Let's hope it's just a Florida golf course and not the Cape Hatteras lighthouse!

Ann wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:50 am Start from the black buoy in the water, go straight up halfway to the height of the sky that you can see in this image. And go a little to the right. There is is, the new Moon.

Beautiful image!

Ann

Yes, it is, and thank you for your help; I'd not have found it without your directions. That said, there are two small dark "spots" on the image that may puzzle folks (they puzzled me). They are located about a third of the way up the sky and to the left of the buoy. Any idea what they might be?

Chris Peterson wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 5:14 am An example of why we often use pseudocolor palettes when trying to get more out of an image. I've converted the original to grayscale and then applied a common pseudocolor mapping used for astronomical images. It results in an image that lets our eyes see more detail than would otherwise be apparent.
_
ds9.jpeg

A pair of stars emerge, too, to Sun's side of Moon
I wonder if they are planets

Of all the ways to enjoy our closest nieghbor, I might pick augmented virtual reality.

All the fun without the muss. A highway without the danger zone.

smitty wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:43 pm

Ann wrote: ↑Mon Jul 25, 2022 4:50 am Start from the black buoy in the water, go straight up halfway to the height of the sky that you can see in this image. And go a little to the right. There is is, the new Moon.

Beautiful image!

Ann

Yes, it is, and thank you for your help; I'd not have found it without your directions. That said, there are two small dark "spots" on the image that may puzzle folks (they puzzled me). They are located about a third of the way up the sky and to the left of the buoy. Any idea what they might be?

I think they are birds.

Ann

Probably. Thanks again!

It amazes me how it seems to come and go in my perception.