NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman has uploaded a mesmerizing six second Vine clip showing a time-lapse of the never-setting sun as it can be seen from the International Space Station.
“1st Vine from space! Single Earth orbit. Sun never sets flying parallel w/terminator line #ISS #Exp40,” Wiseman wrote as he posted the video.
The brief snapshot compresses a 92-minute ISS circle of the earth into a six second clip, showing the swiftly spinning earth and a sun which does not set.
This happens, as Wiseman explains, because the station is currently moving through space parallel with the day and night terminator line – the barrier where light and dark meet on the earth’s surface. The two collide in the weeks surrounding the summer solstice.
The #EXP40 hashtag refers to the current expedition of the ISS, which is due to end in September.