From the moon, Earth appears as a stunning blue and white marble suspended in space. The view of Earth from the moon is quite spectacular and has been described by astronauts as a breathtaking sight. The continents, oceans, and cloud formations are visible, although the details may not be as clear as when viewed from closer distances.
Yes, Earth reflects sunlight to the moon, just like any other object in space. The sunlight that reaches Earth also gets scattered and reflected back towards the moon. This phenomenon, known as earthshine or "the old Moon in the New Moon's arms," causes a dim glow on the dark side of the moon, making it faintly visible during certain lunar phases.
The moon experiences a phenomenon called "tidal locking," which means it takes the same amount of time for the moon to rotate once on its axis as it does to orbit Earth. As a result, the moon always keeps the same face toward Earth. Therefore, from any given point on the moon's surface, there is a fixed position relative to Earth. This means that there is no day and night cycle on the moon as we have on Earth.
Astronomers have the capability to picture and observe the look of Earth from the moon using technology. Satellites and telescopes in space, such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) operated by NASA, have captured images of Earth from lunar orbit. These images provide valuable insights into our planet's appearance from the moon and contribute to scientific understanding and public appreciation of Earth's beauty and fragility.