Light Pollution Atlas 2020
Attention: a new 2022 Atlas is now available!
Welcome to a later version of the World Atlas of the Artificial Night Sky Brightness! I've re-calculated Pierantonio Cinzano's original atlas using more recent satellite data from 2020. There are also earlier versions from 2006 and 2016.
View Atlas in OpenStreetMap
The maps have a new expanded color scale.
The Maps:
The full resolution world map is very hard to view due to its size. Therefore I also have a medium resolution world map and full resolution continent-scale maps that may be easier to use. A map showing the domain of the 6 continent-scale maps is below. There are two versions of each map: one with borders and coastlines and the other with nothing except light pollution. The resolution of most maps is 1/120 degrees. The medium resolution world maps are 1/40 degrees. I've used an "expanded color scale" for all maps.
No Coastlines or Borders |
White Coastlines and Borders |
Domain (degrees) |
|---|---|---|
65S to 75N, 180W to 180E |
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7N to 75N, 180W to 51W |
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57S to 14N, 93W to 33W |
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34N to 75N, 32W to 70E |
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36S to 38N, 26W to 64E |
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5N to 75N, 60E to 180E |
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48S to 8N, 94E to 180E |
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65S to 75N, 180W to 180E |
For more information contact:
David Lorenz
dlorenz@wisc.edu