> Actually I'd say that the primary reason why the contribution to the
> bright part is negligible is that only a very small part of the light
> reflected by the earth hits the moon (but the moon's low albedo plays a
> role too (it's 12%, according to Google's first hit
> <http://www.asterism.org/tutorials/tut26-1.htm>)). Keep in mind that the
> earth's albedo being 39% doesn't mean that 39% of the light that hits
> the earth is reflected to the moon. It is reflected in all directions,
> and the moon only covers a very small range of directions.
>

....and, when the moon is in its half-moon phase, the earth--as seen from the
moon--is in ITS "half-earth" phase, further reducing the amount of
reflected light.

Ken

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