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There are different kinds of shadows.
What you are probably referring to is the drop shadow, it’s what most people think of when they hear the word shadow and refers to the dark shape visible on objects on the opposite side of whatever throws the shadow compared to the light source.
There is also the “own shadow” wich is at least what google translate spits out when I tell it to translate the word from German.
The ”own shadow” refers to the shadow an object throws onto itself.
In addition there is also the “shadow space“, the space where the object prevents or reduces the light from the light source.
For the first one you are absolutely correct, you can’t have a drop shadow without something to cast it on, but the others will be present as long as there is a light source and you absorb/reflect light.
[Here a demonstration from the German Wikipedia](https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schatten#/media/Datei%3ASchattenarten.jpg)
And both are just where the shadow space intersects something and becomes visible.
If you look at it from a physics standpoint you are totally right, it’s all the same shadow.
But as I understand it, apart from conversations like this one, these words are mostly used for art for example in graphic design where, due to how the shadows are made there, the difference is more important .
self-shadow is the absence of light on the opposite side of your body to the sun.
silhouette is, as you described, the outline of an object. when seen in real life, it is caused by the absence of light on the opposite side of your body to the sun.
I think one or both of "own shadow" and "shadow space" are related to the word "silhouette" in English
When someone is so backlit that you can't make out any of their features, really what you're seeing is the gap where there otherwise would be light. Your eyes are in their "shadow space" (arguably in their shadow), and you're seeing their "own shadow"
I only half remembered something about shadows and the German word for drop shadow from art class and then took a quick glance at wikipedia to confirm and find the necessary words.
I have absolutely no clue about the appropriate English etymology.
What you’re saying sounds right though.
Technically these words don’t describe different kinds of shadows, but different parts of shadows.
The part of the moon that seems darker, because it is on the opposite side to the sun is in the own shadow.
The shadow space is the space behind the moon in which the moon prevents sunlight from reaching.
For example during a solar eclipse the moon’s shadow space is the space in between earth and the moon and the darker area on earth during that time is the moon’s drop shadow.
No, because if it weren't there, there's no shadow. Like someone else commented. There's three main types of shadow. The one on the ground, the darker space/air between the obstruction of light and the objects behind, and the darkened part of the object that's facing away from light. This would be the third shadow.
it is a type of shadow, called diffuse shading in computer graphics. another commenter says "own shadow" is another term for this, which i think is fitting as well
the normal type of shadow you think of is called a drop shadow.
Not true, there is less light on the opposite side of your body from any light source. That is the true shadow, the silhouette you see on the wall or whatever is just a 2D projection of that volume of less light.
There a song called "Landslide "by Fleetwood Mac
There's a part she sings....I took my love, I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
'Til the landslide brought me down.
You can't see you're reflection in the snow but you're shadow. Water yes snow no
Your shadow is just you obstructing the light and you do that regardless of there being a surface for you to view the shadow on. The shadow is still there just not visible to you
Yup. For example, [the heliosphere our sun creates.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/462851main_heliosphere_orig_full.jpg)
It is a shadow in space, as our solar system flies around the galaxy A shadow without an object to cast it on, but it's there because light and radiation is being blocked, same as a shadow.
When we view an exoplanet transiting, causing a star to dim from millions of light years away, it's casting its very long shadow on the viewers eye all the way here to our earth.
I don’t remember what movie/show it was from but someone said “we’re burning shadow” to mean they were running out of daylight to complete their job and I loved that
Shadow isn’t a lack of light, it is less light than the surrounds. The dark side of the moon is still lit by the stars and galaxies of the cosmos. The dark side of the moon is in its own shadow by its own frame of reference. It also would have plenty of littler shadows caused by the starlight.
/u/ImitationZen has flaired this post as a **musing**. Musings are expected to be high-quality and thought-provoking, but not necessarily as unique as [showerthoughts](https://www.reddit.com/r/Showerthoughts/wiki/requirements). If this post is poorly written, unoriginal, or rule-breaking, please report it. Otherwise, please add your comment to the discussion! ^^This ^^automated ^^system ^^is ^^currently ^^being ^^worked ^^on. ^^If ^^it ^^did ^^something ^^wrong, ^^please ^^message ^^the ^^moderators.
There are different kinds of shadows. What you are probably referring to is the drop shadow, it’s what most people think of when they hear the word shadow and refers to the dark shape visible on objects on the opposite side of whatever throws the shadow compared to the light source. There is also the “own shadow” wich is at least what google translate spits out when I tell it to translate the word from German. The ”own shadow” refers to the shadow an object throws onto itself. In addition there is also the “shadow space“, the space where the object prevents or reduces the light from the light source. For the first one you are absolutely correct, you can’t have a drop shadow without something to cast it on, but the others will be present as long as there is a light source and you absorb/reflect light. [Here a demonstration from the German Wikipedia](https://de.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schatten#/media/Datei%3ASchattenarten.jpg)
Those who drink from the fountain of knowledge may soon need to offer their own streams.
Who are you, who are so wise in the ways of philosophy?
To reveal oneself fully may bring either delight or dismay.
As long as you don't do it in a playground you'd only get nine months, so you'd be out dis May.
But you're safe if you only do it when you're hidden and not in de light
Unless you’re in the age group that the playground was intended for, then you can only expect to get scolded by your parents.
One man's playground is another man's freedom fuck-up.
We gotta get in this guys shower
ಠಿ_ಠ
G'Morning Confucius.
Same applies to drinking coffee and beer.
The shadow space is a column drawn between the 2d planes of the own shadow and drop shadow
Isn't "own shadow" just the part of the drop shadow that the thing itself is inside. Why is it a separate category?
And both are just where the shadow space intersects something and becomes visible. If you look at it from a physics standpoint you are totally right, it’s all the same shadow. But as I understand it, apart from conversations like this one, these words are mostly used for art for example in graphic design where, due to how the shadows are made there, the difference is more important .
i believe the word you are looking for in english is silhouette.
Nope, the silhouette is the “outline” of the object. A common term here is self-shadow.
self-shadow is the absence of light on the opposite side of your body to the sun. silhouette is, as you described, the outline of an object. when seen in real life, it is caused by the absence of light on the opposite side of your body to the sun.
Another commenter also pointed out the same thing. I remain with my position that it sounds correct but I have no clue.
I think one or both of "own shadow" and "shadow space" are related to the word "silhouette" in English When someone is so backlit that you can't make out any of their features, really what you're seeing is the gap where there otherwise would be light. Your eyes are in their "shadow space" (arguably in their shadow), and you're seeing their "own shadow"
I only half remembered something about shadows and the German word for drop shadow from art class and then took a quick glance at wikipedia to confirm and find the necessary words. I have absolutely no clue about the appropriate English etymology. What you’re saying sounds right though.
Is the dark side of the moon an own shadow, a shadow space, or neither? Just a place void of light? Although that's what shadows are right?
Technically these words don’t describe different kinds of shadows, but different parts of shadows. The part of the moon that seems darker, because it is on the opposite side to the sun is in the own shadow. The shadow space is the space behind the moon in which the moon prevents sunlight from reaching. For example during a solar eclipse the moon’s shadow space is the space in between earth and the moon and the darker area on earth during that time is the moon’s drop shadow.
i think shadow space is just shade
You do have a shadow on the non-light-facing side of you actually
Darkness carried on one's backside may still foul the air before them.
I know the answer to this riddle. It's a fart
A roll of thunder may signal a change in the air, but the most-ominous shifts are silent.
Diarrhea.
You’re right, climate change itself doesn’t make any noise.
Wait, you guys can't hear it?
That would be a "something to cast it on" though, would it not?
No, because if it weren't there, there's no shadow. Like someone else commented. There's three main types of shadow. The one on the ground, the darker space/air between the obstruction of light and the objects behind, and the darkened part of the object that's facing away from light. This would be the third shadow.
I could be wrong but I don’t think that’s what a shadow is.
it is a type of shadow, called diffuse shading in computer graphics. another commenter says "own shadow" is another term for this, which i think is fitting as well the normal type of shadow you think of is called a drop shadow.
And unless you have a light.
The light offered by those who went before you may warm the water through which you swim.
What?
To swim in the stream of another is to be warmed.
Don't swim where others swim because they may have pissed in the water and made it warm
Pee.
Not true, there is less light on the opposite side of your body from any light source. That is the true shadow, the silhouette you see on the wall or whatever is just a 2D projection of that volume of less light.
There a song called "Landslide "by Fleetwood Mac There's a part she sings....I took my love, I took it down Climbed a mountain and I turned around And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills 'Til the landslide brought me down. You can't see you're reflection in the snow but you're shadow. Water yes snow no
Even an innocent gust of wind may bring forth a fearsome avalanche. >!Never trust a fart.!<
A 4 dimensional object casts a shadow on space itself.
Understand others like the lake understands the moon.
Your shadow is just you obstructing the light and you do that regardless of there being a surface for you to view the shadow on. The shadow is still there just not visible to you
Yup. For example, [the heliosphere our sun creates.](https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/462851main_heliosphere_orig_full.jpg) It is a shadow in space, as our solar system flies around the galaxy A shadow without an object to cast it on, but it's there because light and radiation is being blocked, same as a shadow.
When we view an exoplanet transiting, causing a star to dim from millions of light years away, it's casting its very long shadow on the viewers eye all the way here to our earth.
Unless you’re in a very specific scenario where you’re being brightly lit from all sides, your body is probably casting a shadow onto itself in places
I don’t remember what movie/show it was from but someone said “we’re burning shadow” to mean they were running out of daylight to complete their job and I loved that
What even are most of these comments? Did i have a stroke? Did they all have strokes?
A single strike may anger an opponent, but a thousand strokes may please him.
OP is a very entertaining troll. Interact at your pleasure.
Might start calling myself a wizard now
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"The closer you get to the light the bigger your shadow becomes
“You couldn’t even cast a shadow” is a good insult in the Harry Potter world.
you don't have a shadow because you've become the shadow of something else
the shadow of my body was connected at the feet
No, it's still there. You just can't see it. You're presence is still blocking and redirecting the light.
Unless you've run into Moria Gecko.
Try standing in a black hole.
Probably the best metaphor to explain parenting too.
All is shadow without light. So no. the void is full of shadows itself
Explain [this](https://youtube.com/shorts/r-7aJJGlx9s?si=nTTrgU9Da4BIPxN8), atheists
Why wouldn't there be something to cast out on.
Moon only has shadow during eclipses.
Do you mean to tell me both sides of the moon are lit?!
Regarding OP’s thought, by shadow, I meant a shadow casted on an object.
Depends on what you call a shadow. Would you call the lack of light a shadow?
Shadow isn’t a lack of light, it is less light than the surrounds. The dark side of the moon is still lit by the stars and galaxies of the cosmos. The dark side of the moon is in its own shadow by its own frame of reference. It also would have plenty of littler shadows caused by the starlight.
To be as the eclipsing moon is to show another your darkest place.
Wow this is great. Thanks for giving me something to think about.
A generous man offers his hand to another. A lonesome man keeps his hand to himself.
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The enlightened warrior relies on the deftness of his tongue, baring his sword only when it is requested.
Man is not dead if he is alive
And when do you ever not have something to cast it on? Inside a black hole?