Published: June 21, 2022

This visible imagery, captured by the GOES East (GOES-16) satellite on June 21, 2018, shows the pattern of Earth's illumination by the sun just before the solstice. Notice how the daylight terminator, the shadow that separates day and night across Earth, appears highly slanted.Happy Summer Solstice! It’s the longest day of the year (and the shortest night) for northern hemisphere inhabitants. The tilt of the Earth's axis is the reason for the seasons. Enjoy the sunshine! 

Read more about this amazing image from NOAA titled The Summer Solstice Seen from Space.

Photograph credit: NOAA