moon usually seen at night after dark. However, why can the Moon sometimes be seen during the day?
Although the Earth-Moon distance is approximately 384,399 kilometers, it is relatively close for the planet and its satellites. Or an analogy according to NASA, the distance from Earth is aligned with 30 Earths before reaching the Moon.
It turns out that because the Moon can be seen during the day, the key lies in the Earth’s atmosphere and the orbital cycle of the Moon. If Earth had no atmosphere, the Moon could be seen from Earth at any time, not just at night, as reported by Live Science, Tuesday (11/1/2022).
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As for the orbital cycle of the Moon, there are times when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, such as in the new moon phase. The side of the Moon facing the Earth receives no light from the Sun, therefore moon invisible.
As for the factors of the Earth’s atmosphere, most of which are made up of nitrogen and oxygen, they can scatter sunlight that has short wavelengths such as blue light and purple light. This scattering of light, which involves absorbing and re-emitting light in different directions, gives the effect of the blue sky that can be seen from the Earth.
“So for the Moon to be seen during the day, the Moon has to overcome this scattering of light from the Sun,” said Edward Guinan, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Pennsylvania Villanova.
In addition to the key factors of the Earth’s atmosphere and the orbital cycle of the Moon, other factors that affect the visibility of the Moon during the day are also affected by the season and the clarity of the sky at that time.
Guinan added that the best time to see the Moon during the day is in the first quarter of the month, which is a week after the new moon, and the third quarter or week after the full phase.
“In the first quarter, in the afternoon, the Moon is seen rising in the eastern sky. In the third quarter it will be visible in the morning, setting in the western sky. These phases are the longest period with which the Moon is visible the Sun in the sky, with a an average of five or six hours a day, “Guinan explains.
Well, that’s clear why moonEarth’s satellite can sometimes be seen during the day?
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(nwk / erd)
