NASA BLACK MARBLE (VIIRS/DNB)
The Human Footprint: Night Radiance
Powered by NASA's Black Marble suite capturing daily nocturnal radiance (nW/cm²/sr). Maps reveal where human civilization burns energy, where dark skies persist, and how concrete substrates trap daytime heat into nocturnal urban heat islands.
NASA BLACK MARBLE (VIIRS DAY-NIGHT BAND)
The Human Footprint & Night Radiance
Every night, NASA sensors measure the artificial light escaping into the cosmos. Explore nocturnal radiance, Dark Sky degradation (Bortle Scale), and 30-year radiance deltas across canonical American landscapes.
NOCTURNAL RADIANCE DENSITYGrand Canyon & Colorado Plateau
0.42 nW/cm²/sr
Near-Zero Pristine Wilderness Dark
30-YEAR RADIANCE DELTA:
+8.5%
SETTLEMENT FOOTPRINT:
Sparse tourist enclave concentrated strictly at South Rim Village.
DARK SKY & SETTLEMENT RADARBORTLE CLASS 1
Class 1: Excellent Dark-Sky Site. The zodiacal light, gegenschein, and airglow are readily visible. Limiting magnitude 7.6–8.0.
PRIMARY HUMAN SETTLEMENT EMISSION SIGNAL
Sparse tourist enclave concentrated strictly at South Rim Village.