33. Star Tracker Image

Image of the Moon taken by the Star Tracker camera onboard Clementine. The bright glow over the horizon is the solar corona (outer atmosphere) showing from behind the Moon. Craters at left are illuminated by “earthshine,” the light reflected off the Earth and onto the Moon. The dark part of the Moon is on the lunar farside (the side never seen from Earth). Do not equate “darkside” with “farside”; the farside experiences the same day-night cycle (every 28 days) as the nearside. It just happens to be night on the farside in this image.

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