PHOTO: Spring Moon, Victoria, Australia


This is a photo of the half moon in the afternoon sky taken in late September 2023 towards the East above my house in Rowville, Australia. It was taken at about 2:00 pm.

The moon floats like an apparition in the deep blue "waters" of the heavens. You can clearly see the shadows of the craters and seas (mare) on the moon. On the uppermost circumference just off to the  left is a circular shadow which is Mare Crisium (sea of crisis), while to the right of that there is a large oblong shape consisting of Mare Fecunditatis (sea of fertility) (top-most shadow), Mare Tranquillitatis (sea of tranquility) (middle), and Mare Serenitatis (sea of serenity) (lower shadow).   

I was struck by the clarity and infinity of the sky, and the brilliance of the colours - essentially only two: royal blue and silvery white.

This amazing spectacle was just "hanging" there in the sky above my head, as it does every day on its cyclical travels. How many times do we ignore this; take it for granted; and treat it with disregard and even disrespect. Many of us might say: "It's there; has been for millions of years. So what! Why should we care?".

The moon has done a great deal for us: for instance, it has shielded Earth from meteor strikes (hence the crater scars on the moon's surface); it has regulated tides on Earth; it has even provided humans with exploratory pleasure; and of course, it has mesmerized us with its constant beauty.

It is a sad state of affairs that humanity is so callous and ignorant towards the wonders of our universe.

Image: "Spring Moon", Rowville, Victoria, Australia. Copyright - Michael Beaton

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