February 1

The moon was particularly brilliant this morning, following yesterday’s cleansing rain and passing low. The skies actually cleared last night allowing the gibbous moon to peek through the thinning clouds as it rose on the eastern horizon.

Early this morning I caught the last glimpse of Jupiter just before it dropped below tree line, with the moon to follow in an hour or so. That the moon reflects so incandescently is a wonder. To look at samples of the lunar rocks and dust that were retrieved during the Apollo missions would cause anyone to doubt that we should be able to see the moon at all. For evidently, the moon is largely made from dark grays of various shades, yet even still the collective reflection from what looks like asphalt is enough for us to see a gleaming whitish surface with darkened seas and mountains within.

Scientists have calculated that the moon reflects 8% of the sunlight it receives and that such light takes only under 2 seconds to travel from the moon to our eyes. Seen against the backdrop of a winter morning, this 8% is enough yet to cast a shadow of objects, and I particularly enjoy a morning hike lit partially by moonlight. This diffuse light is enough to see my field trail, where sere golden rod and Queen Anne’s Lace cast shadows onto the remaining snow, and my dogs are visible as whitish shapes up ahead, bobbing up and down.