Is There a Word for the Spot on the Floor at the end of a Sunbeam?
When the Sun or the Moon shines through a window, there's a corresponding bright spot on the floor or wall. Conversely, when an object blocks light, it casts a shadow. What would the term be for this opposite?
EDIT: I'm searching for a word that describes the bright spot, not the shadow.
Maybe some context will help.
I have this large picture window in my living room that, on the night of a full Moon, produces this stunning effect after Moonrise. When describing it, I find myself saying:
"If you turn out the lights, the moonlight entering the window casts an eerily beautiful {{word}} on the opposite wall."
Best I've come up with so far is sheen.
Solution 1:
I did a great amount of digging for this, but I think we all might agree that there might not be a word to uniquely describe this phenomenon. I went through a large amount of solar and planetary terminology to make certain there wasn't anything I was missing.
While "sheen" is probably acceptable, I would offer up the alternative of "glow".
The moonlight through the window cast an eerie glow onto the wall.
Solution 2:
Dapple: a patch or spot of color or light.
It's usually used in a context where there are many such patches ("The sun-dappled forest floor"), so it's not a perfect fit but it does describe a patch of light.