Can we see light pollution from space?

[LightningInAJar]

Is there a way to create a map from satellites showing how much light pollution there is on earth? For example if you wanted to do astro photography and wanted to know how far away from city you need to drive to see certain levels of detail from galaxy?

 

[Bandersnatch]

Sure:
https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/

 

[anorlunda]

Sure:
https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

I'm surprised to see so much light pollution in Lapland and North Cape areas. They must be more populated than I thought.

The satellite night views of that area show little light from Lapland.

Is it possible that light pollution considers cloud cover in addition to light produced?

 

[LightningInAJar]

Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Drakkith]

The satellite night views of that area show little light from Lapland.

That's probably because the picture is looking directly at light sources, which are MUCH brighter than the scattered light in the air. The small amount of scattered light simply won't show up on that picture, even though these 'light domes' can be very large.

Edit: Now that I look a little closer, I think light pollution can be seen around some of the major population centers. But the less populated areas are giving off less light, and thus less scattered light, which might not show up on the picture.

Is it possible that light pollution considers cloud cover in addition to light produced?

I don't think so.

 

[Bandersnatch]

I'm surprised to see so much light pollution in Lapland and North Cape areas. They must be more populated than I thought.

I would probably blame the map projection. Polar areas get srteched, so it looks like a huge population centre.

 

[russ_watters]

Is it possible that light pollution considers cloud cover in addition to light produced?

Kinda. How bright the sky is will depend on how much light is produced and how transparent the sky is. There's weather forecasts for that:
http://www.cleardarksky.com/c/SpgMtnObPAkey.html?1

 

[DennisN]

The satellite night views of that area show little light from Lapland.

Despite the light pollution which I'm not a fan of, it's a lovely image.