                        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.

                              2026 September 1
     The Moon is seen in front of clouds but with part of its lower left
   being unusually dark. On the upper right, a foreground airplane appears
    flying into the disk of the Moon. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                            A Plane Lunar Eclipse
                        Image Credit: Paulo Ferreira

   Explanation: Did you need to be on the right side of this airplane to
   see this eclipse? No. Lunar eclipses are routinely seen from the half
   of the Earth facing the Moon when the eclipse occurs, making them some
   of the most commonly witnessed astronomical events. You don't even need
   any special equipment to see one -- just your unaided eyes. Lunar
   eclipses are also some of the most photographed astronomical events
   because, unlike with a solar eclipse, your eyes and camera do not have
   to look toward the bright Sun. However, considering the featured image
   taken last week from Portugal, if you were on the left side of that
   airplane during takeoff, you might have trouble seeing it -- at first.
   But even then, after takeoff, since lunar eclipses typically last for
   hours, you might soon be able to safely cross the aisle(s) to see it.

                    Gallery: Lunar Eclipse of 2026 August
           APOD's main NASA site is moving: From apod.nasa.gov to
                            science.nasa.gov/apod
                    Tomorrow's picture: cultural eclipses
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

