Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Wed Mar 19 2025 08:55:36

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2025 March 19

                          Blue Ghost's Diamond Ring
                       Image Credit: Firefly Aerospace

   Explanation: On March 14 the Full Moon slid through Earth's dark umbral
   shadow and denizens of planet Earth were treated to a total lunar
   eclipse. Of course, from the Moon's near side that same astronomical
   syzygy was seen as a solar eclipse. Operating in the Mare Crisium on
   the lunar surface, the Blue Ghost lander captured this video frame of
   Earth in silhouette around 3:30am CDT, just as the Sun was emerging
   from behind the terrestrial disk. From Blue Ghost's lunar perspective
   the beautiful diamond ring effect, familiar to earthbound solar eclipse
   watchers, is striking. Since Earth appears about four times the
   apparent size of the Sun from the lunar surface the inner solar corona,
   the atmosphere of the Sun most easily seen from Earth during a total
   solar eclipse, is hidden from view. Still, scattering in Earth's dense
   atmosphere creates the glowing band of sunlight embracing our fair
   planet.

                 Tomorrow's picture: welcome to the equinox
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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