This image shows the waxing Moon a few days after the new moon phase. Along the boundary between light and shadow, sunlight strikes the lunar surface at a low angle, revealing craters, mountain ranges, and ancient impact basins in remarkable detail.

The darker regions are ancient basaltic plains known as lunar maria, while the brighter areas are the Moon’s older and heavily cratered highlands. Lunar phases like this are ideal for observing and photographing the finest details of the Moon’s surface.

Captured on June 20, 2026, this image highlights the extraordinary texture and structure of the lunar landscape during its waxing phase.