Why does the moon glow?

The Moon does not make its own light. It mainly glows because it reflects sunlight back toward Earth, and that reflected light is what we see in the night sky.

Quick Scoop

A few things make the Moon look especially bright:

• Sunlight reflection : the Moon’s surface bounces sunlight to us.

• Earthshine : sometimes sunlight reflects off Earth and faintly lights up the Moon’s dark side.

• Surface scattering : the Moon’s dusty, rocky surface scatters light in many directions, which helps it appear visible from Earth.

Why it looks bright

The Moon can seem to “shine” strongly because it is close to Earth and because the dark night sky gives it strong contrast. That makes reflected light stand out even though the Moon is not producing light itself.

Extra effect

On some nights, especially near crescent phases, you may notice a faint glow on the rest of the Moon. That is usually Earthshine, not the Moon generating light on its own.

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