Astronaut Autographed Art

The Ashy Layer

by Alexei Leonov

For his Master's thesis, General Leonov postulated that there was an "ashy layer" in the lower atmosphere that refracts the light of the moon as it passes through, causing a mirage-like reflection on the Earth below.

This was confirmed on one of his spaceflights, and Leonov painted this work to illustrate the phenomenon. City lights show through the clouds.