NavList:

Norm,

Yes, it's hard to believe, but it is, in fact, consistent. It was taken from a beach in central New Jersey when the altitude of the half-full Moon was about one degree. The stars of Equuleus on the left side of the image and the stars in the tail of Scorpius on the right are at just the right altitudes for that latitude, within about half a degree of latitude. The position of the Moon is consistent with the early morning of April 22, 2014. The rising Moon would have appeared as a pale disk. The orange color of the over-exposed image fits. It would not have washed out the stars until it had risen a few more degrees. So the reported 25 second time exposure captures the faint stars and star clouds of the Milky Way and converts the pale moon into a blazing orange searchlight.

By the way, the Moon can be seen relatively easily when it is one degree high, as long as it is half full or more. But what you will find nearly impossible to see is the Moon right on the horizon. For example, you'll never see, let's say, the upper third of the Moon just peaking over the horizon (at sea level) except under extraordinary conditions.

Frank Reed
Conanicut Island USA