We definitely didn’t expect this gorgeous shot! Then again, Yuri Beletsky Nightscapes caught it while standing under one of Earth’s most pristine skies, in Chile’s Atacama Desert, on December 8, 2018. Compare this image to April Singer’s photo below. Notice that, from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere, the moon appeared more or less above the sunset, and – Saturday night – Saturn was directly above the moon. That’s in contrast to the Northern Hemisphere view, where Saturn was to the above-left of the moon. So, from the Southern Hemisphere this past weekend, the moon and Saturn were easier to catch. Thanks, Yuri!
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. "Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers," she says.
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