earthshine

[ urth-shahyn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Astronomy.

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.

earthshine

/ ˈɜːθˌʃaɪn /

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

First recorded in 1825–35; earth + shine ¹

And now day begins to decline; and your globe, which never sets to us, will soon shed her pale earthshine over the landscape.

The ancients were greatly exercised in their minds to account for this "earthlight," or "earthshine," as it is also called.

One might have supposed that Fanny's influence had added a slim crescent of silvery light to her habitual earthshine.

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