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 March 19
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                          Blue Ghost's Diamond Ring
                     Image Credit: [3]Firefly Aerospace

   Explanation: [4]On March 14 the Full Moon slid through Earth's dark
   umbral shadow and denizens of planet Earth were treated to a total
   lunar [5]eclipse. Of course, from the Moon's near side that same
   astronomical [6]syzygy was seen as a solar eclipse. Operating in the
   Mare Crisium on [7]the lunar surface, the [8]Blue Ghost lander captured
   this video frame of Earth in silhouette around 3:30am CDT, just as the
   Sun was emerging from behind the terrestrial disk. [9]From Blue Ghost's
   lunar perspective the beautiful [10]diamond ring effect, familiar to
   earthbound solar eclipse watchers, is striking. Since Earth appears
   about four times the apparent size of the Sun from the lunar surface
   the inner [11]solar corona, the atmosphere of the Sun most easily seen
   from Earth during a total solar eclipse, is hidden from view. Still,
   scattering in Earth's dense atmosphere creates the glowing band of
   sunlight embracing [12]our fair planet.

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

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2503/eclipse-shot-from-blue-ghost-mission-1.jpg
   3. https://fireflyspace.com/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250315.html
   5. https://science.nasa.gov/moon/eclipses/
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syzygy_(astronomy)
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250303.html
   8. https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/missions/2025/03/14/nasa-science-data-received-blue-ghost-captures-eclipse-from-moon/
   9. https://fireflyspace.com/news/blue-ghost-mission-1-live-updates/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240420.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230516.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070302.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250318.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250319
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250320.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  33. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  34. http://www.mtu.edu/