Satellite images collected every night for nine years to picture Earth in a new light. Data image by Michala Garrison/ NASA Earth Observatory
New satellite maps from NASA are challenging what we thought we knew about how the world looks at night. Over the past decade, some regions have become much brighter, while others are dimming.
In the United States, bright flares from oil and gas fields stand out clearly. At the same time, things like rural electrification and energy-saving efforts are changing nighttime life for billions of people worldwide.
The research team, led by Tian Li and Zhe Zhu at the University of Connecticut, analyzed over 1.1 million satellite images. These images were captured every night around 1:30 a.m. for nine years using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite.
This powerful instrument orbits Earth at high speed and can detect very small light sources, even something as small as a toll booth on a dark road. It flies on satellites operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The study, published on April 8 in Nature, covers most of the populated planet. Between 2014 and 2022, oil and gas production hit record highs, and satellites captured strong cycles of gas flaring, especially in areas like the Permian Basin and the Bakken Formation.
Gas flaring happens when excess natural gas is burned at oil wells. This releases carbon dioxide, soot, and other pollutants into the air.
“Unlocking energy sector insights is just one way NASA data is advancing national security interests at a critical time,” said Miguel Román, deputy director for atmospheres and data systems at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “Earth at night has so much to teach us.”
Flared gas is money burned, said Deborah Gordon, a methane expert at the non-profit Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) who was not involved in the study. “Letting operators, investors, and insurers know that this is happening is a huge value proposition, both privately and publicly, to the world. And it all starts with taxpayer dollars and NASA.”
Why it matters:
These changes aren’t just about brighter nights; they reveal shifts in energy use, economic activity, and environmental impact. Nighttime light data helps track development, monitor pollution, and understand how human activity is reshaping the planet in real time.
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