The Space Station Has 15 Sunsets A Day, And All Are Beautiful

The International Space Station goes through a full day in 92 minutes, each with its own sunrise and sunset. The Earth's atmosphere acts as a prism, bending rays of sunlight to paint the station in a quick succession of rich colours. Astronaut Butch Wilmore photographed how the light changes on a solar array.

Featured Videos

Bringing Inquisitors Into the Series

02:25

Now playing

Making the Facebook Papers Public

Monday 1:07PM

02:16

Now playing

The Elon Musk Twitter Saga, Part 1 of Who Knows?

Monday 1:54PM

The station completes 15.51 orbits a day, giving astronauts plenty of chances to bask in the beauty of sunrises and sunsets. These photographs were all taken by current station resident, NASA astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore.

G/O Media may get a commission

Save $70

Apple AirPods Max

Experience Next-Level Sound
Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking provides theater-like sound that surrounds you

All images credit NASA/Butch Wilmore. Top gif animated by Mika McKinnon.