Tag

Viirs

All articles tagged with #viirs

space21 hours ago•79 min saved

Global night glow up 16% since 2014, with pockets of dimming from conflict and policy

A Nature-published study using NASA’s VIIRS satellite data finds Earth’s night-time artificial lighting brightened by about 16% from 2014 to 2022, driven mainly by developing regions such as India, China and parts of Africa, indicating rising electricity access and activity. Yet some regions dimmed due to wars, disasters, or effective energy-saving policies (e.g., Ukraine, France), producing a flickering pattern rather than uniform brightening. The results highlight regional variability and note LED lighting can affect satellite measurements, with dimming areas expanding in certain regions even as overall brightness rises.

via Space|

#energy-policy #light-pollution #night-sky-brightness

earth-at-night1 month ago•3 min saved

Moonlit Earth Traces the March 2026 Lunar Eclipse

NASA's Earth Observatory uses NOAA-21's VIIRS day-night imagery to show how moonlight dimmed during the March 3, 2026 total lunar eclipse, revealing auroras, snow-covered Arctic terrain, and artificial lights in Alaska as the eclipse progressed from total to partial; the next total lunar eclipse is expected December 31, 2028.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#aurora-borealis #earth-at-night #lunar-eclipse

stargazing1 month ago•53 min saved

Orbiting camera spots vivid auroras over Iceland and Canada during a minor geomagnetic storm

A NASA/NOAA VIIRS satellite captured grayscale aurora displays over the Denmark Strait toward Iceland and across eastern Canada during a minor G1 geomagnetic storm on Feb. 16, 2026. The article explains auroras form when solar particles are channeled by Earth's magnetic field and collide with atmospheric gases, producing greens at mid-altitudes with possible magentas and reds at higher/lower altitudes; ground observers would have seen shimmering curtains under the right conditions.

via Space|

#auroras #denmark-strait #northern-lights

science2 months ago•3 min saved

Satellite View Captures Ring of Phytoplankton Around Chatham Islands

NASA's Earth Observatory captured a vibrant ring of phytoplankton encircling the remote Chatham Islands in January 2026, observed by the VIIRS instrument on NOAA-20. The bloom forms where cold, nutrient-rich Antarctic waters meet warmer subtropical waters around the Chatham Rise, supporting local fisheries and marine life, though the region is also known for whale and dolphin strandings.

via NASA Science (.gov)|

#bloom #chatham-islands #noaa-20