Earth-shine, the light by which the dark portions of the moon's surface are rendered faintly luminous for a few days before and after new moon, resulting in an appearance popularly known as 'the old moon in the new moon's arms.' It is caused by the light reflected to the moon from the sunlit surface of the earth. It is stronger before than after new moon. See MOON.
Earth-shine
Chambers's Encyclopaedia, Volume 4: Dionysius to Friction, p. 170
Source scan(s): p. 0179