Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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 September 20
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                             Gibbous vs Crescent
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Luca Bartek

   Explanation: Early risers around planet [5]Earth have enjoyed a shining
   crescent Moon near brilliant Venus, close to the eastern horizon in
   recent morning twilight skies. And yesterday, on September 19,
   skygazers watching from some locations in Earth's northern hemisphere
   were also able to witness Venus, in the inner planet's waxing
   [6]gibbous phase, pass behind the Moon's [7]waning crescent. In fact,
   [8]this telescopic snapshot was taken moments before [9]that
   occultation of gibbous Venus by the crescent Moon began. The close-up
   view of the beautiful celestial alignment records Venus approaching
   part of the Moon's sunlit edge in clear daytime skies from the Swiss
   Alps. [10]Tomorrow, the Sun will pass behind a New Moon. But to witness
   that partial solar eclipse on September 21, skygazers will [11]need to
   watch from locations in planet Earth's southern hemisphere.

                     Tomorrow's picture: equinox sunset
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    Authors & editors: [23]Robert Nemiroff ([24]MTU) & [25]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([26]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [27]Specific rights apply.
            [28]NASA Web Privacy, [29]Accessibility, [30]Notices;
                A service of: [31]ASD at [32]NASA / [33]GSFC,
                         [34]NASA Science Activation
                           & [35]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2509/20250919_Moon_Venus_logo.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.youtube.com/@the_space_koala
   5. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn-mercury/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240108.html
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231116.html
   8. https://www.instagram.com/the_space_koala/p/DOyd9I3CNaW/
   9. https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20250919_16_100
  10. https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/
  11. https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2025-september-21
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250919.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  16. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  18. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  21. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250920
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250921.html
  23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  26. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  28. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  31. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  34. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  35. http://www.mtu.edu/