Moonbeams (NA)

[Graueradler]

I live on a lake shore with about 2 miles of lake to the west of me. It is a very clear night with a beautiful moon fairly low to the west but not what I would call "setting". If I were painting a picture, I would have painted a streak of light across the water lining up with the moon and extending clear across the lake. What I see is a V shape of light with the bottom point toward me and spreading out as it goes across the lake. The bottom of the V is about half way across the lake with no light between the bottom of the V and my vantage point. I can't come up with an explanation of the light pattern that I see. Enlighten me.

 

[Diana]

Enlighten me.

Well, I can't do that, but I saw the moon this morning too. We got up just as it was setting next to the barn. The moon was such a striking orange that it was almost red...beautiful sight to wake up to.

 

[gismo]

I live on a lake shore with about 2 miles of lake to the west of me. It is a very clear night with a beautiful moon fairly low to the west but not what I would call "setting". If I were painting a picture, I would have painted a streak of light across the water lining up with the moon and extending clear across the lake. What I see is a V shape of light with the bottom point toward me and spreading out as it goes across the lake. The bottom of the V is about half way across the lake with no light between the bottom of the V and my vantage point. I can't come up with an explanation of the light pattern that I see. Enlighten me.

Chances are it's due to refraction caused by a significant temperature difference in the air over the lake. Is the air temp much lower or higher than the water temp?

 

[Graueradler]

Air temperature a lot lower that water temperature