                        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.

                              2026 February 21

                       Twilight with Moon and Planets
                 Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)

   Explanation: Only two days after the February New Moon's annular
   eclipse of the Sun, a slender lunar crescent poses near the western
   horizon in this wintry twilight skyscape. Its nightside faintly
   illuminated by earthshine, the young Moon is joined by three bright
   planets in the mostly clear, early evening skies above the village of
   Kirazli, Turkiye. Inner planet Venus appears closest to the horizon.
   Near the beginning of its 2026 performance as planet Earth's evening
   star, brilliant Venus is seen through the warm sunset glare near
   picture center. Straight above Venus, innermost planet Mercury is easy
   to spot as it stands remarkably high above the horizon even as the
   twilight sky is growing dark. Outer planet Saturn, most distant of the
   naked-eye planets, is found just left of the Moon's sunlit crescent.

                     Tomorrow's picture: robots on Mars
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

