Which central ceiling scene shows God separating light from darkness in the Sistine Chapel?

The central Sistine Chapel ceiling scene showing God separating light from darkness is The Separation of Light from Darkness.

Michelangelo painted this scene as one of the nine central panels illustrating episodes from the Book of Genesis. It is positioned near the altar end of the ceiling and represents the opening of the biblical creation narrative, when God separates light from darkness.

The image is often discussed alongside The Creation of Adam, but the two scenes are different panels. The Creation of Adam is the best-known image in the cycle, while The Separation of Light from Darkness is a comparatively compact and forceful depiction of God’s divine action.

The Genesis panels are read from the altar toward the entrance in a sequence that moves from creation through Noah’s story. Michelangelo painted the ceiling between 1508 and 1512, working within a complex architectural framework of prophets, sibyls, ancestors and decorative figures.