earthshine

American  

[urth-shahyn] / ˈɜrθˌʃaɪn /

noun

Astronomy.

1. the faint illumination of the part of the moon not illuminated by sunlight, as during a crescent phase, caused by the reflection of light from the earth.

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earthshine British  

/ ˈɜːθˌʃaɪn /

noun

1. the ashen light reflected from the earth, which illuminates the new moon when it is not receiving light directly from the sun

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Etymology

Origin of earthshine

First recorded in 1825–35; earth + shine ¹

Example Sentences

The answer’s in the name of this phenomenon: earthshine.

From Scientific American

While the sun doesn’t shine there, Earth can, and it’s possible to use earthshine to look for water ice in the bottoms of these craters.

From Scientific American

Scientists found that nearly half these permanently shadowed polar craters are occasionally bathed in earthshine and have pinpointed the times when it would be easier to directly explore them in search of promising deposits.

From Scientific American

Some of that sunlight travels through Earth’s atmosphere before it travels to the moon, and this can affect earthshine’s brightness, especially if the daylit part of our planet is strewn with highly reflective clouds.

From Scientific American

Earthshine, it seems, could even help reveal the presence of life on other worlds!

From Scientific American