December 19, 2025
The universe is under no obligation to make sense to us, and yet here you are — a collection of atoms that somehow learned to think, to...
Long Shadows of the Montes Caucasus
Birthday · December 19, 2025
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APOD published December 19, 2025. Credit: When the Moon. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
When the Moon is at its first quarter phase, the Sun rises along the Montes Caucasus as seen from the lunar surface. The lunar mountain range casts the magnificent, spire-like shadows in this telescopic view from planet Earth, looking along the lunar terminator or the boundary between lunar night and day. Named for Earth's own Caucasus Mountains, the rugged lunar Montes Caucasus peaks, up to 6 kilometers high, are located between the smooth Mare Imbrium to the west and Mare Serenitatis to the east. Still mostly in shadow in this first quarter lunarscape, at the left (west) impact craters reflect the light of the rising Sun along their outer, eastern crater walls.
Image credit: When the Moon