Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2021 December 10
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Eclipse on a Polar Day
Image Credit & Copyright: Stephanie Ziyi Ye

Explanation: During polar day, in Arctic and Antarctic summer, the Sun stays above the horizon for periods of 24 hours or more. Recorded on December 4, this fisheye timelapse image tracks the Sun in multiple frames as it completes a circle in the summer sky above Union Glacier, Antarctica. Of course on that date, Union Glacier's sky did grow dark even though the Sun was above the horizon. Captured during the brief period of totality, an eclipsed Sun is at bottom centre of the composite view. Near the edge of the total eclipse path across planet Earth, the Moon's shadow darkens the sky above.

Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend


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