English: This unusual astronaut photograph shows polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by the rising, rather than setting Sun . Low clouds on the horizon appear yellow and orange , while higher clouds and aerosols (particles like dust and pollution ) are illuminated a brilliant white . Polar mesospheric clouds appear as light blue ribbons extending across the top of the image.

The ISS was located over the Greek island of Kos in the Aegean Sea (near the south-western coastline of Turkey ) when the image was taken at approximately midnight local time. The ISS was tracking north-eastward, nearly parallel to the equator, making it possible to observe an apparent “ sunrise ” almost due north.