Earth at Night | NASA Studies | NASA

Summary

The script describes a stunning view of Earth at night captured by the Suomi NPP satellite's VIIRS instrument, revealing a world of lights. City lights mimic stars, while clusters resemble galaxies. The satellite discerns boats on Egypt's Nile and gas flares in the Middle East. It also highlights human settlements bounded by nature and political borders, such as between North and South Korea. The script emphasizes the impact of human populations, with lights shining brightly or faintly, and includes natural phenomena like wildfires in Australia.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Daytime Earth is a mix of land, oceans, and clouds.
• 🌌 At night, Earth comes alive with electric lights seen from space.
• 🛰️ The Sumi NPP satellite provides a composite view of Earth's nightlights.
• 🔎 The satellite's new veers instrument captures detailed night views.
• 🏙️ City lights can resemble stars or galaxy clusters from space.
• 🚢 Brightly lit boats on the Nile River are visible from orbit.
• 🔥 Gas flares from oil and gas exploration are seen as massive flames.
• 🏞️ The Himalayas show human settlement bounded by natural borders.
• 🗺️ Political borders are visible, like those between North and South Korea.
• 🐟 Fishing boats in the Yellow Sea form a line of lights.
• 🔥 Wildfires in Australia are seen as glowing flames from space.

Q & A

What is the source of the new view of Earth's nightlights?

The new view of Earth's nightlights is a composite of data acquired by the polar orbiting Suomi NPP satellite.

What is the name of the newly designed instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite?

The newly designed instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite is called VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite).

What kind of detailed view of Earth at night does VIIRS provide?

VIIRS provides a remarkably detailed view of the Earth at night, capturing city lights, natural borders, and even individual boats and gas flares.

How do city lights appear from space in the nightlights view?

City lights can resemble solitary stars in the night sky or dense clusters of galaxies, depending on their distribution and density.

What specific feature can the satellite distinguish that is not typically associated with city lights?

The satellite can distinguish brightly lit boats that line Egypt's Nile River and massive flames from gas flares produced as a byproduct of oil and gas exploration in the Middle East.

How does the satellite's view of the Himalayas illustrate human settlement patterns?

The satellite's view of the Himalayas shows how human settlement is bound by natural borders, highlighting the relationship between geography and habitation.

What political borders are visible in the nightlights view?

The political borders between North and South Korea are starkly visible in the nightlights view, as well as a line of fishing boats in the Yellow Sea.

What natural phenomenon is depicted in the script as glowing brightly at night?

Flaming wildfires burning across Australia are depicted as glowing brightly at night.

What does the nightlights view offer for exploring human impact on Earth?

The nightlights view offers a unique perspective for exploring the many places in which humans live and seeing the impact of human populations around the world.

How is the visibility of lights significant in the context of the script?

The visibility of lights, whether faint or bright, is significant as it reflects the presence and activity of human populations, even in remote areas.

What is the role of the music in the script's description of Earth's nightlights?

The music in the script's description serves to enhance the emotional impact and create a sense of wonder as viewers are presented with the new view of Earth at night.