Image of the Week - Antarctica's Summer Solstice

It's winter in the northern hemisphere, but in Antarctica, summer has just begun. At Zucchelli Station the summer solstice occurred on December 22nd, 2019 at 5:19pm local time. The high temperature that day was a balmy 34 degrees Fahrenheit. These images from Landsat 8 show the distinct difference in sun angles cause by the change in seasons. The September image is from close to the equinox, shadows are longer, causing the scene to be darker overall while revealing the ruggedness of the mountains. The December image is brighter, with shorter shadows and much less sea ice. Landsat images are useful for monitoring changes to the sea ice and glaciers on the frozen continent.