                        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 October 10

                     A Double Lunar Analemma over Turkey
                   Image Credit & Copyright: Betul Turksoy

   Explanation: An analemma is that figure-8 curve you get when you mark
   the position of the Sun at the same time each day for one year. But the
   trick to imaging an analemma of the Moon is to wait bit longer. On
   average the Moon returns to the same position in the sky about 50
   minutes and 29 seconds later each day. So photograph the Moon 50
   minutes 29 seconds later on successive days. Over one lunation or lunar
   month it will trace out an analemma-like curve as the Moon's actual
   position wanders due to its tilted and elliptical orbit. Since the
   featured image was taken over two months, it actually shows a double
   lunar analemma. Crescent lunar phases too thin and faint to capture
   around the New moon are missing. The two months the persistent
   astrophotographer chose were during a good stretch of weather during
   July and August, and the location was Kayseri, Turkey

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

