Gentle air pollution maps usually use satellite tv for pc knowledge from NOAA’s VIIRS to visualise ranges of sunshine air pollution around the globe. Some maps, like Gentle Air pollution Map, additionally permit customers to click on on totally different areas to view detailed data – akin to mild air pollution ranges utilizing the Bortle Darkish Sky Scale.
My favourite darkish sky map is definitely the (identically named) Gentle Air pollution Map. I like this map as a result of it explains mild air pollution ranges in clear, simply understood layman’s phrases. For instance, the place I stay, the map tells me that the: “Complete sky is brightened. No Milky Method seen; solely the brightest constellations could be acknowledged.” The Gentle Air pollution Map not solely shows the Bortle Scale for any location, but additionally does a terrific job of describing what you’ll be able to realistically anticipate to see within the evening sky.
Each maps use satellite tv for pc knowledge from NOAA’s VIIRS (Seen Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite). VIIRS is a sensor aboard climate satellites that captures low-light imagery of the Earth at evening. It’s one of the vital dependable instruments for measuring synthetic mild emissions globally and is broadly utilized in scientific research of sunshine air pollution.
