ASTRONOMY PICTURE

OF THE DAY

NOVEMBER 5, 2009

Halloween’s Moon

EXPLANATION

Illuminating the landscape all through the night of November 2nd, this week’s bright Full Moon was known in the northern hemisphere as a Hunter’s Moon. But this dramatic view of the shining lunar orb, from Sobreda, Portugal, was captured just a few nights earlier, on Halloween. In the spirit of the season, the image plays a little trick. The picture is actually two digital photos—one short and one long exposure. They were combined to bring out the details of the bright lunar surface and the fainter features in the dark, surrounding clouds, in a single image. Of course, you may recognize some of the spookier shapes in the clouds as having visited your neighborhood last week, along with Halloween’s Moon.

Credit & Copyright

Miguel Claro