Moonrise into the Autumn Sky

The supermoon rose against a vibrant pink / blue glow in the sky on this autumn day. The glow, also called the “belt of Venus” (even though it has nothing to do with Venus the planet), is an atmospheric phenomenon that can be seen close to sunset time looking east (as when this photo was taken), and close to sunrise time looking west. The belt of Venus is a demarcation of day and night – the pink on the top comes from atmosphere lit by the sun, while the blue in the bottom comes from atmosphere in the shadow of the Earth.

Capturing this image requires paying attention to the alignment of time and space. This shot was taken on a clear day when sunset and moonrise were only a few minutes apart, and when the rising moon lined up with the tree. There are often only one of two days a year when all the conditions are aligned.