earthshine (redirected from earthlight)

earthshine

Earthshine on the moon.

(credit: Courtesy of Yerkes Observatory, Wisconsin)

Sunlight reflected from Earth, especially that reflected onto the dark side of the Moon. For a few days before and after each new moon, this doubly reflected light is powerful enough to make the whole Moon visible, producing the effect, in the case of the new moon, of “the new moon holding the old moon in her arms.”