The direction of the moon's movement tells us a lot about where the photo was taken. Because of the Earth's rotation and sphericity, the apparent direction of motion of celestial objects in the sky varies from place to place. For example, at the equator, stars move in vertical orbits that form an angle perpendicular to the horizon. In contrast, at the poles, stars move in circles parallel to the horizon, never rising or setting. At mid-latitudes, the stars move in slightly inclined orbits whose angle to the horizon tells us exactly how far we are from the equator.
In this picture, the motion of the moon is practically vertical, which means that we are very close to the equator, but not exactly on it!
The other elements in the photo can help us understand where the photo was taken, especially the luminescent plankton in the foreground. Bioluminescence is triggered by waves breaking on the beach and is used by the plankton as a defense mechanism to scare off predators. This microscopic animal is very rare and can only be found in limited areas of the world, mainly in the Maldives, but also occasionally in Florida, Australia and Southeast Asia. However, Florida and Australia are too far from the equator to take into account the movement of the moon. Therefore, the most likely location is the Maldives, where bioluminescent plankton is more common than in Southeast Asia.
In fact, the image sequence was taken from one of the Maldives islands about a year ago.
As we navigate the pathways of knowledge here at FreeAstroScience.com, remember this: the answers we seek are often written in the stars and the seas. Keep looking up, keep exploring, and the universe will unveil its stories.
Credit: Petr Horálek / Institute of Physics in Opava
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