Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Light reflected by the earth: same as earth-shine.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Astron.) The sunlight reflected from the earth to the moon, by which we see faintly, when the moon is near the sun (either before or after new moon), that part of the moon's disk unillumined by direct sunlight, or β€œthe old moon in the arms of the new.”

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun sunlight reflected from the earth's surface

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • I remember hearing about research that suggested that the amount of earth's reflected radiation or "earthlight" found by measuring the light intensity on the dark side of the moon has increased.

    The Speculist: Getting Warmer 2004

  • The final 60-90 seconds as Atlantis hits MECO and breaks free from the fuel tank in the darkness of space lit only by its own engines and the reflection of earthlight -- the sun reflected off the quarter-earth visible in frame.

    Archive 2009-11-01 2009

  • The final 60-90 seconds as Atlantis hits MECO and breaks free from the fuel tank in the darkness of space lit only by its own engines and the reflection of earthlight -- the sun reflected off the quarter-earth visible in frame.

    Atlantis (STS-129) Lifts Off November 16, 2009 2009

  • A traditional technique for estimating the Earth's albedo is observation of the moon's ashgrey light β€” earthlight reflected from its dark hemisphere.

    Albedo 2010

  • We live between weather and earthlight: there is no use for them here, no music without weather.

    Archive 2008-04-01 Mary Kate Hurley 2008

  • We live between weather and earthlight: there is no use for them here, no music without weather.

    Dreaming Language Mary Kate Hurley 2008

  • Or, with the aid of the music in this album, we can drift into the future's lovemist with Les Baxter and make a spaceliner escapade by earthlight, tongue safely fastened in cheek.

    Week 64: Space Escapade HTMPL Prod. 2006

  • Then, two blocks from the space gun -- right there at the corner of Aldrin and Main in broad earthlight -- somebody flips me and takes my bag.

    Analog Science Fiction and Fact 2005

  • Twenty meters above them, earthlight slanted down through thick panes of polarized glass, illuminating a miniature rain forest.

    Analog Science Fiction and Fact 2004

  • Caliban hit him then, leaping out of the shadowed recesses under the next terrace up, long arms and longer legs wide and grasping, teeth glinting in earthlight.

    Ilium Simmons, Dan 1981

Comments

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  • The breadth of the new moon's girth might

    Be darkest when viewed on the first night,

    But the sun's growing blaze

    On successive days

    Will outline the glow of the earthlight.

    December 28, 2016