peter lowenstein | EarthSky

Waxing moon with Golden Handle

Peter Lowenstein in Mutare, Zimbabwe, caught this photo of a waxing moon, setting, with what's called a Golden Handle (the curved feature at top right, jutting up along the line between light and dark on the moon).

Yellowish mist in the foreground and grey clouds in the background. There are some mountains in the horizon.

Golden virga at sunset

Peter Lowenstein captured thin curtains of golden virga on one of the first sunsets of rainy season in Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Old moon and Mercury, past 2 mornings

On spring mornings, from either hemisphere, you can't easily see Mercury. Peter Lowenstein in Mutare, Zimbabwe - 19 degrees south latitude, where it's autumn now - shares this month's excellent Southern Hemisphere view of Mercury, as the old moon swept past.

A smaller full moon superimposed on a larger very thin crescent moon.

Close and far moons

Peter Lowenstein in Zimbabwe contrasts the size of the May 27 waxing crescent moon, which was close to Earth, with the June 9 full moon, which was far from Earth.

Skies after Tropical Storm Dineo

The storm made landfall near Mozambique in southeast Africa this week, causing at least 7 deaths. Hundreds of miles away, Peter Lowenstein captured strange and shifting skies.

Venus and a cloud shadow

Another sunset spectacle from Peter Lowenstein's hilltop perch above Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Watch Mercury and Venus set

What are the odds? Peter Lowenstein caught Venus and Mercury on the evening of their conjunction - July 16, 2016 - setting through a thin break in the clouds.

Crepuscular and anti-crepuscular rays

Next time you see crepuscular rays, aka sunrays, turn around. You might be in luck and see anti-crepuscular rays, as Peter Lowenstein did in Mutare, Zimbabwe on Easter Sunday.

Extremely loud, very close lightning strike

Caution! At full volume, the sound of the strike is so loud that it could damage speakers or affect hearing if headphones are used. Story and video by Peter Lowenstein in Mutare, Zimbabwe.

Report from Zimbabwe: Second rain

More than two weeks after the first rain of the season, another rainfall. Peter Lowenstein in Mutare, Zimbabwe reports.

Three planets and star, from Zimbabwe

A series of photos of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and the star Regulus in the western evening dusk, August 3-8, by Peter Lowenstein.

Venus, Jupiter, Regulus from Zimbabwe

Peter Lowenstein in Zimbabwe - who has contributed many amazing photos to EarthSky - offers what might be your final glimpse of the planets after sunset.

Striped sunrises and the shadows they cast

Two photos by Peter Lowenstein. One shows a sunrise striped with cloud, and the other shows the shadow from a cloud-striped sunrise on a nearby mountain slope.

Lonely cloud pouring its heart out in Zimbabwe

Wonderful photo of an unusual rain cloud, plus two others from Mutare, Zimbabwe. Thanks for sending them, Peter Lowenstein!

Mercury on November 16 when it's greatest distance from the sun.

Mercury farthest from sunset on November 16

The sun's innermost planet, Mercury, will lie 23 degrees from the sunset on November 16. Look for it about 40 minutes after sunset.

Virga is rain that doesn’t reach the ground

Learn what virga is and how it forms, and see great photos to help you learn how to identify it yourself! Plus, learn if radar can pick up virga.

Two yellow spheres with black dots. The one from the left (labeled perihelion) is bigger.

Earth farthest from sun – or aphelion – on July 5

Earth farthest from sun ... aka aphelion! It happened on July 5. That's despite the fact that it's summer now in the Northern Hemisphere.

Mammatus clouds are ominous and beautiful

Mammatus clouds look like bubbling, low-hanging clouds. They're often associated with thunderstorms. Learn more about them here and see photos.

Bulging white moon in bright blue daytime sky over sunlit orange-red flowers.

Daytime moon is up after sunrise now

Watch for the moon in the morning sky - after sunrise - for a few days after full moon. Look west after the sun comes up!

1st of 5 new supermoons in a row starting today

We will have 5 new supermoons in a row, starting on January 11, 2024. The April 8, 2924, new supermoon will result in the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse!

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Waxing moon with Golden Handle

Golden virga at sunset

Old moon and Mercury, past 2 mornings

Close and far moons

Skies after Tropical Storm Dineo

Venus and a cloud shadow

Watch Mercury and Venus set

Crepuscular and anti-crepuscular rays

Extremely loud, very close lightning strike

Report from Zimbabwe: Second rain

Three planets and star, from Zimbabwe

Venus, Jupiter, Regulus from Zimbabwe

Striped sunrises and the shadows they cast

Lonely cloud pouring its heart out in Zimbabwe

Mercury farthest from sunset on November 16

Virga is rain that doesn’t reach the ground

Earth farthest from sun – or aphelion – on July 5

Mammatus clouds are ominous and beautiful

Daytime moon is up after sunrise now

1st of 5 new supermoons in a row starting today