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Astronaut Captures Spectacular Play of Sunlight on the Water Surface That Illuminates the 'Sunglint' Phenomena

The silver patches on the photo are sunlight directly reflected to the camera.

PUBLISHED MAR 8, 2025

Astronaut photograph ISS067-E-153817 was acquired on June 25, 2022 (Cover Image Source: NASA)

Space has been a source of stunning phenomena for several millennia. In 2022, a phenomenon from the Sun captivated aficionados, stated Live Science. A picture of this event was published by NASA Earth Observatory, further mesmerizing the public.

Flying over the Philippine Sea, an astronaut looked toward the horizon from the International Space Station and shot this photograph of three-dimensional clouds (Representative Image Source: Wikimedia Commons/Photo by NASA) — Flying over the Philippine Sea, an astronaut looked toward the horizon from the International Space Station and shot this photograph of three-dimensional clouds (Representative Image Source: Wikimedia Commons| Photo by NASA)

The phenomenon is called sunglint, and it appeared on the Aegean Sea’s surface in Greece. The water body surrounds the Greek volcanic islands of Milos and Antimilos, about 150 kilometers (100 miles) south of Athens. In this phenomenon, the sun's mirror-like reflections appear on smooth water surfaces. The photo showcases silver patches, which are sunlight reflected directly to the camera. The less illuminated portion appears to represent sunlight's diffusion in different directions. Such patterns can come into play due to factors like surfactant oils that often float on water surfaces, wind, and water current, or sometimes because of both elements working together. Such reasons can alter the surface roughness of the water and also influence the degree of light reflectance.

The color-changing effect brings forth features that were previously not visible to the eyes. Sunglint brings focus to aspects like internal waves, swirls produced by gyres, and ship wakes. The picture was captured by a member of the Expedition 67 crew on June 25. He utilized a digital camera and pointed it right outside of an ISS window. The center of the photo showcases Milos, which is 58 square miles (151 square kilometers). Just to the west is Antimilos, which is approximately three square miles (8 square km) in size. Experts noted that the silvery patches could only be observed from space, and the picture would be significantly different if taken from Earth.

One of the most noteworthy features observed in the picture is the vortex-like gyre placed to the east of Milo. From the space, they appear to be an enormous whirlpool. Experts stated that this gyre has a prominent role as it sustains nearby currents that circulate nutrients throughout the ocean. Another feature recorded in the picture is the long, straight line at the bottom left. Researchers think this line could represent the wake from a ship moving across the waters when the photo was captured.

There are also some parallel lines visible off the northeast coast of Antimilos. These lines are generally not clear for viewers because they are mostly obstructed by clouds around the island. These lines have been determined as internal waves, essentially huge vertical waves that travel through the water beneath the surface. Unlike surface waves, which are directed by strong winds, internal waves are controlled by gravity waves. Sunglints provide the contrast required to illuminate these internal waves.

Such images of sunglints are of huge use to researchers who track oil spills. However, they are a barrier of sorts for marine scientists who utilize satellite images to keep a note of algal blooms and the color of the oceans. Therefore, marine scientists typically remove sunglints from the picture to garner the required data for their purposes.