diff --git a/assets/sprites/earth.png b/assets/sprites/earth.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..58d1b19
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/sprites/earth.png differ
diff --git a/src/engine/parallax.c b/src/engine/parallax.c
index 0e048e5..27f885a 100644
--- a/src/engine/parallax.c
+++ b/src/engine/parallax.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include "engine/parallax.h"
+#include "engine/assets.h"
 #include "engine/camera.h"
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <math.h>
@@ -795,6 +796,21 @@ static void generate_moon_far(Parallax *p, SDL_Renderer *renderer) {
     p->far_layer.scroll_y     = 0.03f;
     p->far_layer.active        = true;
     p->far_layer.owns_texture  = true;
+
+    /* Earth in the sky — non-tiling feature sprite */
+    SDL_Texture *earth_tex = assets_get_texture("assets/sprites/earth.png");
+    if (earth_tex) {
+        int ew, eh;
+        SDL_QueryTexture(earth_tex, NULL, NULL, &ew, &eh);
+        p->feature.texture  = earth_tex;
+        p->feature.tex_w    = ew;
+        p->feature.tex_h    = eh;
+        p->feature.x        = (float)(w / 4);
+        p->feature.y        = (float)(h * 0.08f);
+        p->feature.scroll_x = 0.03f;  /* same as far layer */
+        p->feature.scroll_y = 0.03f;
+        p->feature.active   = true;
+    }
 }
 
 static void generate_moon_near(Parallax *p, SDL_Renderer *renderer) {
@@ -953,9 +969,25 @@ static void render_layer(const ParallaxLayer *layer, const Camera *cam,
     }
 }
 
+static void render_feature(const ParallaxFeature *f, const Camera *cam,
+                           SDL_Renderer *renderer) {
+    if (!f->active || !f->texture) return;
+
+    /* Scroll with camera but do not tile */
+    int draw_x = (int)(f->x - cam->pos.x * f->scroll_x);
+    int draw_y = (int)(f->y - cam->pos.y * f->scroll_y);
+
+    SDL_Rect dst = {draw_x, draw_y, f->tex_w, f->tex_h};
+    if (dst.x + dst.w < 0 || dst.x >= SCREEN_WIDTH) return;
+    if (dst.y + dst.h < 0 || dst.y >= SCREEN_HEIGHT) return;
+
+    SDL_RenderCopy(renderer, f->texture, NULL, &dst);
+}
+
 void parallax_render(const Parallax *p, const Camera *cam, SDL_Renderer *renderer) {
     if (!p || !cam) return;
     render_layer(&p->far_layer, cam, renderer);
+    render_feature(&p->feature, cam, renderer);
     render_layer(&p->near_layer, cam, renderer);
 }
 
@@ -974,4 +1006,8 @@ void parallax_free(Parallax *p) {
     }
     p->near_layer.texture = NULL;
     p->near_layer.active  = false;
+
+    /* Feature sprite is asset-manager-owned — just clear the reference */
+    p->feature.texture = NULL;
+    p->feature.active  = false;
 }
diff --git a/src/engine/parallax.h b/src/engine/parallax.h
index 11c3de2..35f7d8f 100644
--- a/src/engine/parallax.h
+++ b/src/engine/parallax.h
@@ -18,10 +18,21 @@ typedef struct ParallaxLayer {
     bool         owns_texture;  /* true if we generated it (must free) */
 } ParallaxLayer;
 
-/* Parallax background system — up to two layers */
+/* A non-tiling sprite drawn once in the background (e.g. Earth from moon) */
+typedef struct ParallaxFeature {
+    SDL_Texture *texture;       /* sprite image                       */
+    int          tex_w, tex_h;  /* sprite dimensions                  */
+    float        x, y;          /* base position (pixels, screen)     */
+    float        scroll_x;      /* horizontal scroll factor           */
+    float        scroll_y;      /* vertical scroll factor             */
+    bool         active;
+} ParallaxFeature;
+
+/* Parallax background system — two tiling layers + optional feature sprite */
 typedef struct Parallax {
-    ParallaxLayer far_layer;    /* distant background (stars)         */
-    ParallaxLayer near_layer;   /* mid-ground background (nebula)     */
+    ParallaxLayer   far_layer;  /* distant background (stars)         */
+    ParallaxLayer   near_layer; /* mid-ground background (nebula)     */
+    ParallaxFeature feature;    /* non-tiling overlay (planet, etc.)  */
 } Parallax;
 
 /* Initialize parallax (zeroes everything) */