Looking Down from Orbit at Night

Images of the Earth’s surface at night from orbit tell us where the upward traveling light is coming from. The uplight, combined with knowing how light scatters in the atmosphere, gives a regional picture of how the sky glows and hides the stars. We learn how the skyglow has changed over years. We also learn how shielding and using mostly amber colored lights outside can help to bring back the starry night skies.