Atmospheric Layers and Earthshine, ISS Image, 2011
International Space Station astronauts captured this photo of Earth's atmospheric layers on July 31, 2011, revealing the troposphere (orange-red), stratosphere (white), mesosphere (blue) and a new Moon with earthshine. Sometimes the dark face of the Moon catches Earth's reflected glow and returns that light. The dark face of the Moon has a faint shine, a ghostly version of a full Moon. The phenomenon is called earthshine. It tends to be brightest between April and June, though it does occur at other times of the year. Earthshine is easiest to see around the time of a new Moon due to the position of Earth and the Moon in their orbits. Earthshine varies in strength throughout the year, since the light reflected from the Earth varies. Earth's reflected light (albedo) is brightest in the Northern Hemisphere spring with a second, slightly smaller peak in the Southern Hemisphere spring.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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