Midway's Night Sky -- First Quarter Moon

The Moon was so bright that I didn't need a flashlight as I bicycled home from Mark's night sky program.  

Earlier in the evening I stood behind the native beach shrub Naupaka Kahakai (Scaevola sericea) and looked toward the west and the setting sun.  I could see the bright quarter moon*.  I even saw the planet Venus!  Look at the bottom, right corner of the picture.  See the Naupaka branch sticking up?  Venus is the little, white speck slightly above and a bit to the left of the leaves. 

As the night got darker, the Moon seemed to get brighter.  Its light is actually sunlight bouncing off the Moon and shining down on us.  The Moon is like a giant reflecting mirror in the sky.  If that's so, then as I look at the Moon, and you look at the Moon...maybe our thoughts are reflected to each other.  Aloha, my friend...and good night!
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[*According to my calendar, the moon is actually in its first quarter stage not tonight, but rather tomorrow night, June 19; oh well!  Also: it doesn't look like a quarter moon in my snapshot because I have a very simple camera; oh well!]