Twilight with Moon and Planets
AI Summary1 min read
TL;DR
A slender lunar crescent, illuminated by earthshine, appears in the twilight sky two days after an annular solar eclipse. It is joined by three bright planets: Venus near the horizon, Mercury high above, and Saturn near the Moon's crescent, captured in a clear evening view from Turkiye.
Twilight with Moon and Planets
Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)
Explanation: Only two days after the February New Moon's annular eclipse of the Sun, a slender lunar crescent poses above the western horizon after sunset in this wintry twilight skyscape. Its nightside faintly illuminated by earthshine, the young Moon is joined by three bright planets in the mostly clear, early evening skies above the village of Kirazli, Turkiye. Inner planet Venus appears closest to the horizon. Near the beginning of its 2026 performance as planet Earth's evening star, brilliant Venus is seen through the warm sunset glare near picture center. Straight above Venus, innermost planet Mercury is easy to spot as it stands remarkably high above the horizon even as the twilight sky is growing dark. Outer planet Saturn, most distant of the naked-eye planets, is found just left of the Moon's sunlit crescent.