A new light pollution map of Europe has been published that uses satellite data to show how obtrusive light is spreading across the continent.
The map represents the first European Union-wide night-time light pollution map, and has been created with data collected by the satellite SDGSAT-1 between 2021 and the present day.
It is the result of a collaborative research project, ‘RALAN (UNA4CAREER)’, which is being led by the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) under the direction of academics Jesús Gallego Maestro and Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel.
The map has been created by a team led by astrophysicist and dark skies advocate Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel, whose work was recently recognised by the International Research Centre on Big Data for Sustainable Development in Beijing.
The project falls under the activities of the GUAIX-UCM research group and is aligned with the objectives of the PLAN-B project, a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme.
The map is also intended to support the Cities at Night project, which uses night-time images taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station to study urban light pollution.
The insights gleaned from the map will aid in the crafting policies and regulations that aim to mitigate light pollution, protect biodiversity, and support sustainable development, the PLAN-B project has said.
‘This new Light Pollution Map of Europe not only advances scientific understanding but also offers a powerful tool for policymakers and environmental advocates to combat light pollution,’ it said.
‘By bridging cutting-edge satellite data with real-world applications, this work supports global efforts toward sustainability and biodiversity conservation,’ it added.
The map can be accessed here.
Image: the Northern Lights Over a rustic cabin in Akureyri, Iceland. Marek Piwnicki/Pexels
