Explanation:
Early Tuesday
morning, December 7th, June Croft thought the
southeastern sky above Atmore, Alabama, USA was beautiful.
Watching
the Moon rise through gossamer clouds, she
noted, " ... the crescent Moon looked like it was held in
the sky by a star just off its shadowed horizon."
What was that star?
Bright Jupiter of course, and
some watched as the Moon actually
occulted or passed in front of
the Solar System's reigning gas
giant planet.
For astronomer Jimmy Westlake in Colorado, Jupiter was
already hidden at moonrise that morning,
but later he was able to record this lovely image,
not unlike the view that inspired Croft.
Seen through gossamer clouds, Jupiter along with large
Jovian satellites
Ganymede and Callisto (bottom to top) has emerged from
behind the crescent Moon's
shadowed horizon.
News: The answer to
Lewin's Challenge APOD can be found
here.
