Earth observations taken from Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-80 mission
STS080-759-038 (19 Nov.-7 Dec. 1996) --- As photographed by the crewmembers aboard the space shuttle Columbia, a full moon is about to set beyond the limb of Earth. A full moon should be round but when it is near the limb, or edge of Earth, the atmosphere tends to distort the shape. The atmosphere, stratosphere, ionosphere is in reality acting as a lens, thus the distorted shape of the Moon. As the Moon reaches the Earth's horizon it will become "eggshaped".
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Details
NASA ID
sts080-759-038
Date Created
November 24, 1996
Center
JSC
Media Type
image
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