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06 Apr 02 - 12:45 PM (#684545) Subject: The lights of the earth by night From: Bonnie Shaljean If you want to see a truly stunning aerial night shot of the Earth by its own lights, click on the first link below. This image was created with data from NASA's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program. Originally designed to view clouds by moonlight, it's also used to map the locations of permanent lights on the Earth's surface. I was able to store this on my computer as a .jpg file which shows the entire photo on my screen at one time, though smaller.
You can scroll your browser East-West and North-South for different views, and it's interesting to note where the densities of population are concentrated. The accompanying text points out the contrast between North and South Korea, the TransSiberian Rail route, and Perth as a bright island in the Australian outback (which must have been an incredible sight when they switched on every light in the city to greet the astronaut John Glenn as he orbited past).
This image is even more striking if you look at it in a darkened room. I keep having to remind myself that it's a real-life shot and not an artist's impression.
The second link will take you to a whole gallery of NASA aerial/astronomical photographs, one for each day of the year since mid-1995 (the "Earthlight" one is for November 27, 2000).
And if you still don't believe global warming is a real threat, check out the entry for February 12, 2002 titled "Methane Earth". It's utterly chilling.
Hope you enjoy this site as much I do – Bonnie
Night Image of the Earth:
Archive of NASA space photos:
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06 Apr 02 - 06:29 PM (#684684) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: mack/misophist I had that once and lost it. Thank you. |
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06 Apr 02 - 06:43 PM (#684690) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: katlaughing Bonnie, I have the general NASA one, but forget to check it once in awhile. I was so taken with one image that I made a ceramic tile of it. This specific image which you've linked, of all of the lights, is quite telling in the gluttony of electricity/energy, isn't it? Thanks for the links. kat |
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06 Apr 02 - 07:50 PM (#684725) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: Ebbie Wow. Where is Canada, and what is it doing? Has everyone gone to bed? Even Alaska has more lights on... :) Ebbie |
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06 Apr 02 - 09:38 PM (#684760) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: Little Hawk An amazing sight. Canada's population is mostly concentrated just north of the US border, Ebbie. That's why it looks like everyone's asleep up here. Toronto has nearly 4 million living in and around it, for example, but they're just on the other side of Lake Ontario from New York State. Either that or it was "spin the bottle night", and all the hosers were temporarily in the dark... :-) - LH |
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07 Apr 02 - 05:38 PM (#685130) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: GUEST Just like the population map |
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08 Apr 02 - 01:11 PM (#685539) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: GUEST,jaze Boy, you guys in Canada must really see some amazing stars at night! |
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08 Apr 02 - 01:23 PM (#685548) Subject: RE: BS: The lights of the earth by night From: GUEST The thing that amazed me was the string of lights going up the east side of the Rockies |
