Why can I still see the whole spherical shape of the moon when it is in a crescent state???

Question

Some one told me it is earth light reflecting back towards the moon,lightning up the surface just enough for us to barley see with the naked eye.Is this true???...Thanks for the details...TomScience 4

Answer 1

True, you're seeing "earthshine." When the Moon is new for us, the Earth is full for anyone on the moon. And the earth is much larger, and more reflective than the moon, so the full earth is much brighter than the full moon is here.

Answer 2

It is true - this is "Earthshine" first proposed by da Vinci (yes - him again!)

You can see Earthshine whenever there's a crescent Moon on the horizon at sunset. Look between the horns of the crescent for a ghostly image of the full Moon. That's Earthshine.

In Leonardo's Codex Leicester, circa 1510, there is a page entitled "Of the Moon: No Solid Body is Lighter than Air." He states his belief that the Moon has an atmosphere and oceans. The Moon was a fine reflector of light, Leonardo believed, because it was covered with so much water. As for the "ghostly glow," he explained, that was due to sunlight bouncing off Earth's oceans and, in turn, hitting the Moon.

He was wrong about two things:

First, the Moon has no oceans. When Apollo 11 astronauts landed at the Sea of Tranquility, they stepped out onto rock. Lunar "seas" are made of ancient hardened lava, not water.

Second, Earth's oceans are not the primary source of Earthshine. Clouds are. Earth shines because it reflects sunlight, and clouds do most of the reflecting. When Apollo astronauts looked at Earth, the oceans were dark and the clouds were bright.

But these are quibbles. Leonardo understood the basics well enough.

Answer 3

Earth shine

Answer 4

Why not take a look at albedo at the following address.

Merry Christmas

Answer 5

You have mystical powers