night_day_map.py

"""from I don't remember where!"""

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

# 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()