Last week, astronomers anticipated a “da Vinci glow” around the May 19 new moon. Science for All examines what it is and why it is called after Renaissance artist and scientist Leonardo da Vinci this week.
Sunset brings the da Vinci light. When a crescent moon is on the horizon, the silhouette of the full moon can be seen shortly after the sun sets in a partially black sky.
Earthshine is the glow from light reflected from the earth, not the sun. Earthshine makes moonlight 50 times brighter than full-moon light on Earth, according to NASA.
NASA says the da Vinci light is visible on crescent moon days with clear sky.
Earthshine is sunlight reflected by the earth and then by the moon before reaching our sight. Since it is reflected twice, it glows faintly. DaVinci shine.
Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), the first to describe the phenomena, gave it his name. He lived before Copernicus, thus his hypothesis was not watertight. However, da Vinci utilized his artistry and mathematics skills to comprehend how light and shadows generated earthshine. Before da Vinci’s idea, the moon’s “ashen glow” was nicknamed the “old moon in the new moon’s arms”.
Technology and flights like Apollo 11 have improved his explanation. Da Vinci anticipated that earthshine comes from seas. Not true. Apollo 11 crew thought clouds were the main source of earthshine.