The International Space Station (ISS) has entered the 'Twilight Zone' and astronauts living there will have stunning views of the Earth that is neither too bright nor too dark.
ISS resident and NASA astronaut Don Pettit made the announcement on social media as he shared pictures of Earth from the 'Twilight Zone' in orbit. But what does it mean?
What is the 'Twilight Zone?'
The 'Twilight Zone,' as explained by Pettit, is the region where one will not fully experience day or night. Pettit said that the station's orbit has aligned with the zone and that they will not experience a full day or night until the orbit changes.
"This is the best time to photograph clouds under low angle lighting," he said.
The 'Twilight Zone' is also closely related to the 'Terminator' - the line that separates the day side of a planet from the night side. This boundary which appears blurred from the surface as the atmosphere scatters light can create a twilight effect.
From space, the terminator moves as the Earth rotates, creating a gradual transition between day and night. The terminator's position relative to an orbiting spacecraft determines whether astronauts experience full sunlight, total darkness, or transitions between the two.
The case of station's alignment with the twilight zone is a rare occurrence, as it orbits Earth every 90 minutes and astronauts experience sunrises and sunsets 16 times a day.
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(Image: X/@astro_pettit)