A brighter world,
a dimmer sky.
As cities expand, outdoor lighting spreads beyond their borders. The glow can wash out stars far from the places that produce it.
FIELD NOTEURBAN LIGHT / 1970—2020
ATLASAN ILLUSTRATED EXPLORATION 1970—2020
A PLANET TRANSFORMED
Earth’s
disappearing
darkness.
For most of human history, the night belonged to the stars. In a few generations, we have changed the view.
EARTH AT NIGHT / AN ILLUSTRATION
LIGHT IS GROWING 90° N — 90° S
CITY LIGHT FISHING FLEET BLACKOUT EVENT
01 / 03THE CHANGING NIGHTSCROLL TO EXPLORE ↓
TRAVEL THROUGH TIME
Watch the night change.
Press play or drag the timeline.
Each light is an illustrative estimate.
THE SPREAD OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT
197019801990200020102020
A CLOSER LOOKNot all light
Not all light
tells the same story.
Cities grow. Fleets gather offshore. And sometimes, the lights suddenly go out.
This is an illustrative visualization, not satellite imagery or measured brightness.