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04/03/2025

ASTRONOMY - A Quadruple Alignment over Italy

 2025 March 4

A hazy night sky shows four lined up items. The closest
two are lit-up buildings on hills. Looming large in the
background, in alignment, is a gibbous Moon, distorted and
reddened by the Earth's atmosphere. Across the Moon's face 
is a streak that is an airplane.
Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

A Quadruple Alignment over Italy
Image Credit & Copyright: Valerio Minato

Explanation: Why does this Moon look so unusual? A key reason is its vivid red color. The color is caused by the deflection of blue light by Earth's atmosphere -- the same reason that the daytime sky appears blue. The Moon also appears unusually distorted. Its strange structuring is an optical effect arising from layers in the Earth's atmosphere that refract light differently due to sudden differences in temperature or pressure. A third reason the Moon looks so unusual is that there is, by chance, an airplane flying in front. The featured picturesque gibbous Moon was captured about two weeks ago above TurinItaly. Our familiar hovering sky orb was part of an unusual quadruple alignment that included two historic ground structures: the Sacra di San Michele on the near hill and Basilica of Superga just beyond.

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ASTRONOMY - A Quadruple Alignment over Italy

 2025 March 4 A Quadruple Alignment over Italy Image Credit & Copyright:  Valerio Minato Explanation:  Why does this Moon look so unusua...