The Moon tonight

I'm here in India and the new moon is in the sky, but it just looks strange.

It's almost sparkling and the whole of the moon is visible: I can see the whole moon, the new moon and the small sliver between the crescent and the whole moon is like I said sparkling. Also there is a distinct midnight blue colour to it.

Is there any reason for this?

Curious Kuma

Not that I know of, My guess is that this is a composite of some light reflecting off the Earth, slightly illuminating the normally obscured part of the Moon, atmospherics and your latitude - the Sun is approaching it's weakest point for the Northern Hemisphere (which it reaches in a couple of days)

If anyone can give a good Astronomical explanation, I'd appreciat it

For Kuma

Thanks for your comments. It isn't often that one can see the very pale image of the whole Moon while only a small sliver of its sunlit portion is brightly seen. This probably only happens at the new moon or last crescent Moon in the early morning ---- the Sun, Earth and Moon are all closely aligned at that point and the sunlight reflected by/through the Earth's atmosphere is enough to faintly light the Moon's surface.

I can't explain the sparkly points at the day/night boundary line on the Moon except to suggest that the very clear atmosphere, and your own good eye sight, probably was reflected off of mountain and crater peaks that were catching the Sun's rays.

It was a beautiful early Moon as seen from here in the northeastern US, but the moist atmosphere seems to have hidden the view that you enjoyed. Dave

Minderwiz & Dave

Hello

Thank you for taking time with this and explaining.

I love the idea that the clear night made it possible to see light reflected from the moon's crater's and mountains. It was a very unusual new moon and especially beautiful. Though a little disturbing, by fact of it looking so different.

It was an early evening sighting, though the skies were dark, at around 7/7.30pm. It stopped me in my tracks and I couldnt help looking and looking again to make sure I could believe my eyes. The new moon here in India is like a smile more than standing banana if you see what I mean.

Thanks once again.