In the night when the dogs and I were out in the dark- they were watching me catch roosters – the moon was so bright we had shadows. Moon shadows. 
Moon shadows are mystical in a way. Like the comfort of a very bad mobster who is on your side. Shadows in the day are often forgotton, we walk with them without saying a proper thank you for the company. Daytime shadows are direct and honest. Straight forward. Sun – person – shadow.
A night-time moon shadow is spooky. Sidelong. Inky black. They are a negative in the bright moonshine landscape. Moon shadows are indirect, more impossible somehow. Doubled back. They are the shadows cast from the reflected light of the sun. Reflected off the face of the moon and all her shadows. Sun – moon – person – shadow.
Almost impossible when you think of the space that light has travelled back and forth to reach my body then lay on the ground, journey ended or reflected straight back up from a puddle or the sea. Earthshine from moonshine. The earthshine bouncing back to the moon at the speed of light or a slower light speed? Does the light slow down and become diluted as it is reflected back and forth in those first few bounces. A light that originated 93 million miles away. No, the short light speed hop from the moon to the earth after that long journey must seem trivial but is accomplished with exactly the same rush. All in a few seconds. (As opposed to about 8 minutes from the sun to the moon so Sister Marion told us in school). But don’t forget, the smallest shine that returns from the earth to the moon reflecting off the seas and great lakes. Maybe even my reflecting eyes watching the fulling moon contribute to the earthshine winging its way back to the moon and beyond. So much a part of the night am I. But that light never slows down on it’s accidental journey. The speed of light is always the speed of light no matter how much light is doing the speeding or how often it has been reflected to and fro.
Yes even though it is reflected away – it does not leave. The light is infinite.
Moon shadows lead the dogs tracking me, and the trees and buildings surrounding us cast the absence of that light as black holes. The dogs and I lightly creep on frozen feet through the bright ice and cold to the sleeping roosters, like old time turkey catchers, to and fro in the night carrying my flapping packages to their new homes.
Surprises are in store for those who have clear night on Wednesday. Watch for the moon on Wednesday.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
WEATHER:
Tuesday 01/30 0% / 0 in
Sunny to partly cloudy. High 34F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.
Tuesday Night 01/30 0% / 0 in
Cloudy and windy. Low 27F. Winds S at 20 to 30 mph.
Sun
7:05 am 5:07 pm
Moon
Waxing Gibbous, 98% visible 4:23 pm 6:14 am
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Beautiful imagery! So often in our modern, urban world where we are bundled up snugly in our houses come eventide (or hurry from car to building), we forget the stark beauty of a winter moonscape.
The night is a very different place to be.. though exactly the same in many ways.
Consider also that the reflected light is showing the moon (or anything else for that matter) from the past. You never see an object as it is “now”. 🙂
8 minutes from the sun to the moon then about 3 or 4 seconds I think? from the moon reflected down to the earth. Everything is in the past – this is true. Our own solar system is relatively close by really. It is a fascinating area of thought. Everything becomes a memory in an instant. c
It’s fascinating to envision the path of light! I hadn’t really thought of earthshine before now! But yes, the light must be refracting back up and out into the universe! Just love the picture of Ton Ton! Makes me want to give him a big hug and a kiss on the head! 🙂
He loves his pod bed – that second shot is of him giving Boo the evils. funny!
How did you come by the pod bed? Is it half of a plastic barrel? I wonder where they can be found?
It would be perfect for Daphne and Dolly too!
Yes – just a half of a big plastic barrel. These barrels had detergent in them.
Gosh, I’ll have to ask around and look around. We have plenty of the metal barrels, but I haven’t seen plastic ones!
Thanks for the scoop on these! 🙂
I liked your description of Earthshine upon the Moon. I always enjoy seeing it during a thin crescent phase.
Some claim to see Venus-shadows when she is high and brightest. Perhaps a photo challenge is in order in a few months.
Yes – I have read about Venus and her shadow – how interesting is THAT!!
The moon was very bright here last night too, despite moderate cloud cover, two days early! We had very heavy cloud cover and rain 1 Jan so I missed that supermoon, do hope we get to see the blue moon. I don’t think the eclipse is going to be seen here at all.Laura
I hope you do – we will be under deep cloud by the look of it
Aw, Ton looks so comfy in his bed. I love the song Moondance by Van Morrison. Your post made me change my music selection for the day. 🙂
Careful – that song goes round and round even after the speakers have gone cold!
I’m imagining Mike Oldfield and Maggie Reilly while the dogs run around in snow (not that you have snow), but it’s a Snow Moon and Super Blue Blood!
Pretty awesome names for moons.
I’m excited by the prospect of the Blood Moon over the next few days. In the cosmic scheme of things, we’ll see it a few hours before you do, but the merest scintilla of the time the light has already travelled… I also like to visualise you and the dogs ‘leaping and hopping on a Moonshadow’, as Cat Stevens would have said.
Lovely. c
This morning’s moon was stunning, but of course I’m surrounded by trees so I had the silhouette of trees in my view. I will try to catch various phases of the moon tonight and tomorrow morning… perhaps a very early ride in the electric buggy to the west end of the orchard will allow me a better view. Otherwise I must drive a few miles out of town to get an open view clear of trees.
I love moonlit nights. For me it lights the darkness of the woodlands, allowing me the view as the nocturnal animals might see. I feel a bit more free to roam than I do when I have to carry a high-beam flashlight to brighten the dark, black of night.
Night without a foreign flash light is quite amazing isn’t it. It almost feels warmer..
Has TonTon gained any weight?
Yes. It is coming back slowly- he is doing much better – he is getting old I think
I’m so glad! (Yes, we’re all getting old.)
lovely words to dream by….we’ll be up on the west coast watching around 5am….our nights here are so glorious as we have zero
ambient light living in the mountain wilderness….one can almost read by the moon light….have a lovely evening
Sounds like a perfect spot. We get a lot of light in the West from these blinking wind turbines but if the sky clears we might see something! Hope so
I hope so also! I’ll have my Christmas Camera ready with a tripod~
I love moon shadows!!! I can hardly wait for the full moon a real treat coming.
I really hope we get some clear sky at dawn. We would be lucky!
Me too…we are very cloudy today.
Your moonlight adventure is a lovely prequel to the blue blood super moon. It’s eve was very bright here last night. Providing there’s no cloud cover tonight we will have front row seats from 11 pm to 2 am, as our verandah and bedroom door faces north. Very convenient for moonbathing.
It is good to capture fey creatures on a moonshon night… Strange things that can only happen once in a Blue Moon; )
This was poetic. I hope I get to see that moon but we have heavy clouds.
Such a lovely post Miss C! D’you think that we can notice the difference in the speed of light under a full moon? It does seem to be just slightly out of sync and always such a cold blue light, no matter what time of year, but especially so in Winter… An excellent source for Astronomy buffs: http://www.skynews.ca/this-weeks-sky/#more-16514
Profound and delicious to the mind and imagination! Thank you!
I missed the moon early this morning. I have not been doing well, and really needed the sleep.