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August 13, 2026 - Summer Sunglint on the Aegean Sea
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Spectacular sunglint highlights the islands of the southern Aegean Sea in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on August 12, 2026.
The phenomenon of sunglint is a matter of optics. Areas where the sea surface is smoother reflect more sunlight directly back to the satellite’s imager. In contrast, areas of rougher water appear darker because light is scattered in many more directions.
Dry, cool winds from the north, called the Etesian winds, are common over the Aegean Sea during summer. On the windward side of the islands, those winds pile up the water and disturb the surface. But as those air masses run into the islands and their rocky peaks, a “wind shadow” with much calmer winds (and seas) form on the leeward side of islands (in this case, the south sides). Darker areas amid the bright streaks could be the result of wind or water turbulence, or perhaps breaks in the wind-blocking land topography.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/12/2026
Resolutions:
1km (116.5 KB), 500m (272.1 KB), 250m (137.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
Spectacular sunglint highlights the islands of the southern Aegean Sea in this true-color image acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on August 12, 2026.
The phenomenon of sunglint is a matter of optics. Areas where the sea surface is smoother reflect more sunlight directly back to the satellite’s imager. In contrast, areas of rougher water appear darker because light is scattered in many more directions.
Dry, cool winds from the north, called the Etesian winds, are common over the Aegean Sea during summer. On the windward side of the islands, those winds pile up the water and disturb the surface. But as those air masses run into the islands and their rocky peaks, a “wind shadow” with much calmer winds (and seas) form on the leeward side of islands (in this case, the south sides). Darker areas amid the bright streaks could be the result of wind or water turbulence, or perhaps breaks in the wind-blocking land topography.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Terra
Date Acquired: 8/12/2026
Resolutions:
1km (116.5 KB), 500m (272.1 KB), 250m (137.7 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
