In today's image, we see the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis from 2001. We note how the exhaust behind the shuttle changes color. From the lower portion, the plume is at a level where the Sun has already set. At a higher level, the plume is still illuminated by the Sun which is not below the horizon yet from this height. Because of the precise positioning, the plume's shadow points straight back to the Moon.

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This Podcast is an authorized New Media Mirror Site for APOD. You can access the image and website directly at: Astronomy Picture of the Day. You can use the archive link below the image to select the photo corresponding to the date of this podcast.

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