Earth at Night
Satellite images of Earth at night have been a curiosity for the public and a tool of fundamental research for at least 25 years. They have provided a broad, beautiful picture, showing how humans have shaped the planet and lit up the darkness.
An Earth Observatory Collection
The nighttime lightscape of Argentina’s largest metropolitan area reveals transportation corridors and variations in lighting types.
An astronaut captured a moonrise—and much more—in a series of photos taken from the International Space Station.
A long-exposure photo taken from low Earth orbit captured the brilliant illumination coming from airglow, lightning, and stars.
Far above the Arctic Circle, the landscape around Utqiaġvik, Alaska, transforms from a frozen tundra to a mosaic of ponds…
Satellite-derived maps of nighttime lights in southern Spain revealed power outages that persisted across rural areas as the region was…
An astronaut orbiting over Southeast Asia captured a colorful photo of the lights from boats, ports, and other lit infrastructure.
The older and newer cities of the Greater Cairo region look very different at night when viewed from above.
Satellite observations at night indicate that oil, gas, and mining have expanded across Earth’s northern latitudes.
An astronaut’s sweeping nighttime photograph of Namibia and South Africa reveals the region’s lighted communities, many of which are centered…
A powerful geomagnetic storm caused a display of light that was visible unusually far from Earth’s poles.
The state faced widespread power outages after winds from Hurricane Helene snapped trees, tore off roofs, and toppled power lines.
Lights in Chile’s central city display an array of colors and densities, reflecting various land uses and differences between the…
Images of nighttime lights reveal patterns in population and urban development.
From reflective snow and ice to the glowing towns along the Trans-Siberian Railway, nighttime near the world’s largest freshwater lake…
Visitors to this national park in southern Utah can witness geologic landforms by day and a celestial light show by…
Moonlit mountains and illuminated towns highlight geographic features on this sparsely populated Russian peninsula.
Major cities in northwestern Europe shine bright in this nighttime photo, taken by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station.
Landsat satellites have begun regularly acquiring images of ice at the poles during the winter, with enlightening results.
Lights, snow, and clouds brighten this wintery scene of Earthâs northern latitudes.
A spate of solar activity produced widespread auroras across Canada.
Stark contrasts between light and dark indicate the interface between urban and natural areas in the Greek capital.
