Great pics! Anyone know what's up with the two "Earth at night" photos? The 2016 take appears to show much reduced land light over the one taken 20 years earlier. Have the lights actually been reduced? or is there something I'm missing? Paine Ellsworthput'r there 21:44, 28 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
My guess is, having read Defense Meteorological Satellite Program#History, the images are largely synthetic or at least heavily processed and more or less rendered in false color. In loose terms, they probably used different "zeroes" for dark areas. ☆ Bri (talk) 01:03, 29 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you, Bri, I had suspected that a different baseline was used, which makes their comparison very misleading. I'm sure that from an astronomer's viewpoint, professional or amateur, it is much harder to see the dimmer stars from even a small city than it used to be. Paine Ellsworthput'r there 17:27, 29 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Situation seems hopeless what with people spreading out, most of whom are deathly afraid of the dark. Paine Ellsworthput'r there 22:21, 29 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
I clicked on the image of North America taken from space and was surprised to notice that the photo was taken by a satellite called Suomi NPP, and remembered that I was the original author of that article, back in January, 2012. Cullen328Let's discuss it 07:53, 29 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
A lot of people leave their porch lights on in the Eastern United States. I believe the cause has a lot to do with our (american) culture's fascination with horror films. See Wikipedia for more information. There, look I just solved another problem that human beings have caused. I really should be invited to more Senate hearings. Barbara✐ ✉ 09:06, 31 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
