You can only get this shot on two days each year.
From Astronomy Picture of the Day: Earth at Equinox. From the Russian meteorological satellite Elektro-L
Explanation from NASA:
Equinox Earth
Image Credit: Roscosmos / NTSOMZ / zelenyikot.livejournal.com
Courtesy: Igor Tirsky, Vitaliy Egorov Explanation: From a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometers above the equator, Russian meteorological satellite Elektro-L takes high-resolution images our fair planet every 30 minutes. But only twice a year, during an Equinox, can it capture an image like this one, showing an entire hemisphere bathed in sunlight. At an Equinox, the Earth’s axis of rotation is not tilted toward or away from the Sun, so the solar illumination can extend to both the planet’s poles. Of course, this Elektro-L picture was recorded on September 22nd, at the northern hemisphere’s autumnal equinox. For a moment on that date, the Sun was behind the geostationary satellite and a telltale glint of reflected sunlight is seen crossing the equator, at the location on the planet with satellite and sun directly overhead (5MB animated gif).
Wait. Animated .gif? Cool!
The Earth at equinox, 2013; from Russan space program, via NASA.
More:
- Electro-L’s Fully Lit View of Planet Earth at the Autumnal Equinox (universetoday.com)
- Everything you need to know: September equinox (earthsky.org)
- Equinox Explained: Why Earth’s Seasons Will Change on Sunday (space.com)
- Equinox Today Heralds Earth’s Changing Seasons: Watch It Online (space.com)
- Autumnal Equinox 2013: First Day of Fall is Sunday (theepochtimes.com)
- Autumn equinox: 5 odd facts about fall (mnn.com)
- What defines the end of summer? It’s just how our planet is tilted (nbcnews.com)
- Autumnal Equinox 2013 arrives on Sunday (VIDEO) (baltimorenewsjournal.com)
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