APOD: 2026 September 15 – A Daytime Eclipse: Moon Occults Venus
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On September 15, 2026, a remarkable astronomical event took place wherein the Moon obscured Venus during the daytime hours. Above the village of Cessy in France, sky watchers were initially unable to discern the Moon due to cloud cover. However, upon closer observation, it became apparent that the Moon was present. As expected, a luminous dot emerged from behind the Moon, revealing the distant planet Venus.
Both celestial bodies exhibited crescent phases in the photograph. The Moon's crescent was minimal, with only about 10% of its surface illuminated by the Sun, while Venus's crescent was more prominent, displaying roughly 25% illumination. Venus appeared brighter in the image due to its proximity to the Sun and the reflective nature of its clouds, as opposed to the darker lunar surface.
This occurrence of a Venusian occultation by the Moon was observable to only around 10% of the Earth's population, and even for this group, the event unfolded during the daytime.
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- APOD: 2026 September 15 – A Daytime Eclipse: Moon Occults Venus science.nasa.gov
