Earth’s winer solstice captured from outer space

The Meteosat Third Generation – Imager 1 (MTG‑I1) view, captured at 6am UK time, shows the planet’s day–night terminator tilted close to its annual maximum of about 23.5°, reflecting the angle at which Earth leans relative to its orbit around the Sun.

In the startling picture, the northern hemisphere lies deep in winter darkness while the southern hemisphere enjoys its longest days, a contrast that underpins seasonal weather patterns, storm tracks and the distribution of heat across the globe.

MTG‑I1, operated for Europe’s meteorological services, is designed to deliver frequent views of evolving cloud systems, supporting more accurate short‑range forecasts and earlier warnings of severe weather.