NASA's Black Marble: Stories from the Night Sky

Narration: Michael Carlowicz

Transcript:

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Viewing Earth from above

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can show us truly stunning perspectives.

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One of the most compelling views comes at night,

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when we can clearly see human activity

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on our planet.

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Sparkling on Earth's surface.

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The lights of cities and villages stand out against the dark.

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Some satellite instruments,

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like VIIRS, have specialized sensors designed to detect

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these lights.

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By observing satellite views of night lights,

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we can see ways that our cities and towns

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are changing over days,

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months,

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and years.

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Some changes are caused by natural events.

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During extreme weather events, we can track where lights go dark

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or remain bright

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This can help response

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teams know where to send aid.

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Wildfires also change the landscape.

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The bright flames of wildfires glow in the dark

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Nighttime imagery is one tool that can provide information

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about where fires are spreading and where new fires are sparking.

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With images of

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Earth at night, we can see human activities from fishing

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to population growth to holiday lighting.

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In the ocean,

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fleets of commercial fishing boats shine like glowing islands.

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This allows officials to help identify where fishing fleets are working.

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Across the border between North and South Korea,

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we see a stark contrast in energy use.

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In recent decades,

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electricity use expanded in India.

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Changing where lights can be observed at night.

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Increasing night lights

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at certain times of year can show us where different cultures hang

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festive lights to celebrate their holidays.

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This data isn't just helpful on Earth.

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It can also tell us more about space weather.

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By refining Aurora forecasts, we can help better plan

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for impacts to technology and better predict where to view

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breathtaking northern light shows.

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From assisting disaster recovery efforts

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to understanding changes in populations.

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From

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glimpsing celebrations by different cultures

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to capturing marvels of the night sky.

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Night time data help us understand our dynamic world.