Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 September 20 [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest resolution version available. Gibbous vs Crescent Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Luca Bartek Explanation: Early risers around planet [5]Earth have enjoyed a shining crescent Moon near brilliant Venus, close to the eastern horizon in recent morning twilight skies. And yesterday, on September 19, skygazers watching from some locations in Earth's northern hemisphere were also able to witness Venus, in the inner planet's waxing [6]gibbous phase, pass behind the Moon's [7]waning crescent. In fact, [8]this telescopic snapshot was taken moments before [9]that occultation of gibbous Venus by the crescent Moon began. The close-up view of the beautiful celestial alignment records Venus approaching part of the Moon's sunlit edge in clear daytime skies from the Swiss Alps. [10]Tomorrow, the Sun will pass behind a New Moon. But to witness that partial solar eclipse on September 21, skygazers will [11]need to watch from locations in planet Earth's southern hemisphere. Tomorrow's picture: equinox sunset __________________________________________________________________ [12]< | [13]Archive | [14]Submissions | [15]Index | [16]Search | [17]Calendar | [18]RSS | [19]Education | [20]About APOD | [21]Discuss | [22]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [23]Robert Nemiroff ([24]MTU) & [25]Jerry Bonnell ([26]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [27]Specific rights apply. [28]NASA Web Privacy, [29]Accessibility, [30]Notices; A service of: [31]ASD at [32]NASA / [33]GSFC, [34]NASA Science Activation & [35]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2509/20250919_Moon_Venus_logo.jpg 3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 4. https://www.youtube.com/@the_space_koala 5. https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/visible-planets-tonight-mars-jupiter-venus-saturn-mercury/ 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240108.html 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231116.html 8. https://www.instagram.com/the_space_koala/p/DOyd9I3CNaW/ 9. https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20250919_16_100 10. https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/ 11. https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2025-september-21 12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250919.html 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 16. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 18. https://apod.com/feed.rss 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 21. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250920 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250921.html 23. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 26. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 28. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 29. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 30. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 31. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 32. https://www.nasa.gov/ 33. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 34. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 35. http://www.mtu.edu/