Today our planet joins two other worlds in the solar system where it is northern autumn. Every year around this time thousands of penguins rejoice to see the Sun peep above the Antarctic horizon. The return of sunlight after nearly 6 months of chilly darkness means it's time to shed a few pounds of blubber, find a mate, and bask in the sunshine.
Spring is in the air.
On the other end of the world, sun-dappled puddles of water are freezing at the north pole, while Arctic bears are pondering hibernation. The north polar Sun, circling downward on a horizon-skirting 360 degree spiral, will soon be gone. Click for images updated every 10 minutes. For the past six months our planet's north pole has been tilted toward the Sun, most directly on June 21st, which was the beginning of northern summer. But, as The Beach Boys pointed out in a popular tune, there's no such thing as an Endless Summer .