Posted on 12/07/2012 9:13:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv
Explanation: This remarkably complete view of Earth at night is a composite of cloud-free, nighttime images. The images were collected during April and October 2012 by the Suomi-NPP satellite from polar orbit about 824 kilometers (512 miles) above the surface using its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). VIIRS offers greatly improved resolution and sensitivity compared to past global nightlight detecting instrumentation on DMSP satellites. It also has advantages compared to cameras on the International Space Station. While the space station passes over the same point on Earth every two or three days, Suomi-NPP passes over the same point twice a day at about 1:30am and 1:30pm local time. Easy to recognize here, city lights identify major population centers, tracking the effects of human activity and influence across the globe. That makes nighttime images of our fair planet among the most interesting and important views from space.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
“Why is Washington State so lit up?”
From my understanding, a doobie can glow very brightly. (yes, this is my poor attempt at humor).
Looks like the brightest metropolitan clusters are Cairo, Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, Rome, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo, while the brightest regions are the NE USA and western Europe.
This is astronomy, just conducted from orbit, of our most familiar celestial body. :’)
Even a cursory review of standard definitions of the word would prove you wrong. Another term now dumbed down and loosing all meaning.
A telescopic view of plants on a distant mountain is not astronomy simply because a telescope was used and the plants use energy from the sun to grow.
Good thing I didn’t actually pick the photo then, huh?
Call centers.
Heh heh.
What momtothree said. :’)
Not populated, OCCUPIED!!! We are the 15%!!!
This photo was taken during the Pyongping Pyongpong tournament, it’s the only time they turn on lights. It’s a treat for the masses, because they get fed more so they have enough energy to hand-turn the generators.
Could be oil fields, probably not in Siberia per se, but rather in Central Asia; a recent APoD had the time-lapse of the Sun over Baku, which used to be an impoverished muzzie hell-hole, then oil money started to pour in.
It’s a bright world we’ve made, of course, that will change when the boot is on our necks.
Thanks!
lol.
sadly, very realistic
Yeah, I think it was Borman who said, "You're lucky if you can see the continents."
They seem to be at a rather high latitude in an area with no cities.
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