This evening the waxing crescent Moon will have aged by three days since its conjunction with the Sun. About one-eighth of its apparent disc will be well illuminated. The rest of it should be detectable due to earthshine. Artists and philosophers have long deemed this to be the most pleasing shape of the Moon.
The three-day-old Moon has traditionally been known as Diana's Bow (as in bow & arrow.) Diana was a beautiful virgin goddess in the ancient Roman pantheon (Artemis to the Greeks.) She was believed to rule both hunting and the Moon. Hence, her using a crescent Moon as a bow for her arrow combines aspects of her two domains. In Disney's 1940 classic animated feature, Fantasia, she is depicted in just that pose.
The three-day-old Moon has traditionally been known as Diana's Bow (as in bow & arrow.) Diana was a beautiful virgin goddess in the ancient Roman pantheon (Artemis to the Greeks.) She was believed to rule both hunting and the Moon. Hence, her using a crescent Moon as a bow for her arrow combines aspects of her two domains. In Disney's 1940 classic animated feature, Fantasia, she is depicted in just that pose.
For astronomical graphics, including
monthly wallpaper calendar, visit:
CurtRenz.com/astronomical
Curt Renz
