earthrise

English

Photos of earthrise.

Etymology

From earth +‎ rise.

Noun

earthrise (countable and uncountable, plural earthrises)

1. The event of the Earth rising over the horizon of another celestial body, typically the Moon.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:earthrise.

Usage notes

• It is sometimes imagined that the Earth can be seen rising and setting regularly from the surface of the Moon, but this does not normally occur because of the Moon's locked orbit with one face constantly facing the Earth: it would require the observer to be in motion over the surface of the Moon (as in the well-known Apollo images of Earthrise), or to be near the edge of the Earth-observable surface of the Moon, where libration would allow a slow earthrise.

Antonyms

• earthset

See also

• moonrise
• sunrise