                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    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.

                              2022 September 24

                          September Sunrise Shadows
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Donato Lioce

   Explanation: The defining astronomical moment for this September's
   equinox was on Friday, September 23, 2022 at 01:03 UTC, when the Sun
   crossed the celestial equator moving south in its yearly journey
   through planet Earth's sky. That marked the beginning of fall for our
   fair planet in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern
   hemisphere, when day and night are nearly equal around the globe. Of
   course, if you celebrate the astronomical change of seasons by watching
   a sunrise you can also look for crepuscular rays. The shadows cast by
   clouds can have a dramatic appearance in the twilight sky during any
   sunrise or sunset. Due to perspective, the parallel shadows will seem
   to point back to the rising Sun and a place due east on your horizon
   near the equinox date. Taken on September 15, this sunrise sea and
   skyscape captured crepuscular rays in the sky and watery specular
   reflections from the Mediterranean coast near the village of
   Petacciato, Italy.

                 Tomorrow's picture: shadows of cosmic dust
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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