Nature photographers and nature lovers eagerly await the blue hour. This special period of time is the moment of the passing of twilight. Just before sunrise or after sunset, when the Sun is below the horizon, the sky and earth are still illuminated with a mesmerizing blue light. Captured on August 21, just after sunset, the moment when the Full Moon rises in front of the Sun was captured from the Cortina d'Ampezzo region of Italy. Monte Antelao is one of the highest peaks in the Dolomites and is also known as the “King of the Dolomites”. Although the moonlight usually appears yellow, this full moon is referred to by some as the seasonal Blue Moon. This is because the third full moon of a season with four full moons is called a “Blue Moon”. When a season is considered to be the period between the solstice and the equinox, the fourth full moon of this period will rise on September 20, just before the equinox, at the instant of blue hour.

August 26, 2021 Astronomy Photo of the Day (NASA APOD)

Image Source & Copyright: Giorgia Hofer