Planetshine is the dim illumination, by sunlight reflected from a planet, of all or part of the otherwise dark side of any moon orbiting the body. Planetlight is the diffuse reflection of sunlight from a planet, whose albedo can be measured.
Saturn's moon Mimas is lit by Saturnshine on the right and sunshine at the top.
The Moon lit by earthshine, captured by the lunar-prospecting Clementine spacecraft in 1994. Clementine's camera reveals (from right to left) the Moon lit by earthshine, the Sun's glare rising over the Moon's dark limb, and the planets Saturn, Mars, and Mercury (the three dots at lower left).
Earthshine reflected from the Moon, as seen through a telescope. The bright region is directly illuminated by the Sun, while the rest of the Moon is illuminated by sunlight reflected from Earth.
Earthshine reflected from the Moon during conjunction with Venus (left)
Earthlight is the diffuse reflection of sunlight reflected from Earth's surface and clouds. Earthshine, also known as the Moon's ashen glow, is the dim illumination of the otherwise unilluminated portion of the Moon by this indirect sunlight. Earthlight on the Moon during the waxing crescent is called "the old Moon in the new Moon's arms", while that during the waning crescent is called "the new Moon in the old Moon's arms".
The night side of the moon, illuminated by earthshine, becomes visible next to the narrow crescent (11 percent, age of the moon = 3.3 days) with ash-grey moonlight. Image taken 20° over the western evening sky shortly after the equinox in spring with a particularly steep ecliptic as seen from Berlin. On the left, the star Omicron Arietis (37 Ari, 6,2m) in the constellation Aries.
During the crescent phase, the darker side of the Moon reflects indirect sunlight, reflected from Earth, while the other side reflects direct sunlight.
An 80 mm shot of a crescent Moon with a 10-second exposure, revealing earthshine. The green ghost image was caused by a UV filter on the lens.
