The horizon line is heavily lowered, such that a very large portion of the painting is occupied by the sky.

After starting the painting process, he opened his studio to the public for two hours each Sunday for those who wished to see him working.

[3] When the painting was put on exhibition, it was done so in the hall of the Society for the Encouragement of Artists in Saint Petersburg.

[3] Unusually, "Moonlit Night" was the only painting in the exhibition, made even more strange by its apparently humble nature.

According to some accounts, visitors believed that the painting was illuminated from behind using a lamp because the moonlight was so realistic, and sought to find the source of light during the exhibition.