World

Why almost everyone on Earth will share daylight at the same time this week

Night-time conditions will remain across Australia, New Zealand, parts of Southeast Asia, Antarctica and surrounding oceans

Published July 08, 2026
Why almost everyone on Earth will share daylight at the same time this week

A rare astronomical phenomenon will see around 99 percent of the world's population experience daylight or twilight at the same time on Wednesday, July 9, at about 11:10 GMT.

According to Al Jazeera, around 8.2 billion people will be in either daylight or one of the three stages of twilight for about one minute.

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The overlap is made possible by Earth's tilt and the timing of the Northern Hemisphere summer.

During the event, daylight will cover North America, South America, Europe, Africa and most of Asia, where the vast majority of the global population lives.

Night-time conditions will remain across Australia, New Zealand, parts of Southeast Asia, Antarctica and surrounding oceans.

Similar conditions occur daily for about 60 days each year, from roughly May 18 to July 17. It added that the event became widely associated with July 8 after a viral social media post in 2022, but a subsequent fact check by Time and Date found that the same overlap happens throughout this period.

At the peak moment, about 83 percent of people will be in full daylight, while another 16 percent will experience civil, nautical or astronomical twilight.

Only about 1 percent of the world's population will remain in complete darkness.

Bisma Saleem
Bisma Saleem is a Senior Sub Editor and Canada correspondent, specialising in sports coverage across the NFL, NBA, and major events like the Super Bowl. With over 8 years of experience, she combines sharp editorial skills with on-ground insight, delivering dynamic reporting alongside exclusive Canada-based stories that bring a distinct international perspective to her coverage.