Light Pollution Map

#1

Post by okl » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:12 PM UTC

Light Pollution Map
lightpollutionmap.info

Re: Light Pollution Map

#2

Post by ianbooker » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:35 PM UTC

Every time I am on a motorway in Belgium I wonder why they have such a huge amount of streetlights on highways. Maybe because it doesn't matter anymore in terms of light pollution? :D

Re: Light Pollution Map

#3

Post by exhilaration » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:40 PM UTC

It looks like this site is more up to date but there's also Dark Site Finder, which is usually what I've seen suggested in stargazing discussion: https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html

Re: Light Pollution Map

#4

Post by giarc » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:45 PM UTC

I was looking at North America as a whole, and noticed a very bright spot in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. It's almost one of the biggest spots. Wikipedia tells me it has a population of basically 2000 people. Why is it so light?

Re: Light Pollution Map

#5

Post by mygoodaccount » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:46 PM UTC

The site appears to be using OpenStreetMaps based on the font. But I don't see any attribution to OSM anywhere on the site? It's a part of the agreement to use OSM...

*I was wrong

Re: Light Pollution Map

#6

Post by steanne » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:46 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I was looking at North America as a whole, and noticed a very bright spot in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. It's almost one of the biggest spots. Wikipedia tells me it has a population of basically 2000 people. Why is it so light?

"...however, at any given time, several thousand transient workers support the Prudhoe Bay oil field."

Re: Light Pollution Map

#7

Post by Pyrodogg » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:50 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I was looking at North America as a whole, and noticed a very bright spot in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. It's almost one of the biggest spots. Wikipedia tells me it has a population of basically 2000 people. Why is it so light?

Oil industry. Same reason western North Dakota looks like a major metropolitan area.

Re: Light Pollution Map

#8

Post by giarc » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:50 PM UTC

steanne wrote: post #6

giarc wrote: post #4

I was looking at North America as a whole, and noticed a very bright spot in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. It's almost one of the biggest spots. Wikipedia tells me it has a population of basically 2000 people. Why is it so light?

"...however, at any given time, several thousand transient workers support the Prudhoe Bay oil field."

The bright spot is bigger than the bright spot over Paris and London though. Do they just leave the lights on 24/7 in the bay?

Re: Light Pollution Map

#9

Post by exhilaration » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:51 PM UTC

giarc wrote: post #4

I was looking at North America as a whole, and noticed a very bright spot in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. It's almost one of the biggest spots. Wikipedia tells me it has a population of basically 2000 people. Why is it so light?

Oilfield flaring, Google has videos: https://www.google.com/search?q=Prudhoe+Bay+gas+flaring

Re: Light Pollution Map

#10

Post by nattaylor » Fri, Apr 23, 2021, 3:52 PM UTC

mygoodaccount wrote: post #5

The site appears to be using OpenStreetMaps based on the font. But I don't see any attribution to OSM anywhere on the site? It's a part of the agreement to use OSM... *I was wrong

It uses Bing Maps and has this:

Jurij Stare, www.lightpollutionmap.info (v2.7.7) VIIRS Earth Observation Group, NOAA National Geophysical Data Center