daynight.py

import numpy as np
from mpl_toolkits.basemap import Basemap
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
from datetime import datetime

# example showing how to compute the day/night terminator and shade nightime
# areas on a map.

# miller projection 
map = Basemap(projection='mill',lon_0=180)
# plot coastlines, draw label meridians and parallels.
map.drawcoastlines()
map.drawparallels(np.arange(-90,90,30),labels=[1,0,0,0])
map.drawmeridians(np.arange(map.lonmin,map.lonmax+30,60),labels=[0,0,0,1])
# fill continents 'coral' (with zorder=0), color wet areas 'aqua'
map.drawmapboundary(fill_color='aqua')
map.fillcontinents(color='coral',lake_color='aqua')
# shade the night areas, with alpha transparency so the 
# map shows through. Use current time in UTC.
date = datetime.utcnow()
CS=map.nightshade(date)
plt.title('Day/Night Map for %s (UTC)' % date.strftime("%d %b %Y %H:%M:%S"))
plt.show()