Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2023 March 8
   [2]A flattened map of the Earth is shown illuminated only by how bright
       the night sky is. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                       Artificial Night Sky Brightness
   Image Credit: Data: [3]JPSS Satellites; Processing: [4]David J. Lorenz

   Explanation: Where have all the dim stars gone? From many places on the
   [5]Earth including major cities, the night sky has been reduced from a
   [6]fascinating display of [7]thousands of stars to a diffuse glow
   through which [8]only a few stars are visible. The [9]featured map
   indicates the relative amount of [10]light pollution that occurs
   [11]across the Earth. The cause of the pollution is artificial light
   reflecting off [12]molecules and [13]aerosols in the atmosphere. Parts
   of the Eastern [14]United States and [15]Western Europ[16]e colored
   red, for example, have an [17]artificial night sky glow over ten times
   that of the natural sky. In any area marked orange or red, the
   [18]central band of our Milky Way Galaxy is [19]no longer visible. The
   [20]International Dark Sky Association suggests [21]common types of
   fixtures that provide relatively little amounts of [22]light pollution.

         Light Up Your Internal Night Sky: [23]Random APOD Generator
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

      [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search |
   [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss |
                                    [34]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([38]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [39]Specific rights apply.
              [40]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC,
                         [44]NASA Science Activation
                           & [45]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2303/WorldSkyBrightness_JpssLorenz_5848.jpg
   3. https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/about/our-offices/joint-polar-satellite-system-jpss-program-office
   4. https://djlorenz.github.io/
   5. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/earth/in-depth/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010110.html
   7. https://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/206-How-many-stars-can-you-see-at-night-
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200408.html
   9. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_light_pollution.jpg
  10. https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220213.html
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecule
  13. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/langley/news/factsheets/Aerosols.html
  14. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/united-states/
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Europe
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Western_Europe.ogv
  17. http://www.lightpollution.it/dmsp/artbri.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070930.html
  19. https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3180/3006830170_68269d8ab1.jpg
  20. http://www.darksky.org/
  21. https://www.darksky.org/our-work/lighting/lighting-for-industry/fsa/fsa-products/
  22. https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/news-display.cfm?News_ID=939
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230307.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230308
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230309.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  45. http://www.mtu.edu/