Know that when you decorated your house and yard this year for Christmas that NASA can see those lights from space. According to a report by CNN on Dec. 20, not only are you shining brighter in your own neighborhood but you are also shining brighter in space too as well as providing data for scientists to determine how much energy we use from decorating our yards and houses for Christmas.
According to the report and NASA, between the day after Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, night lights from Christmas lights make major U.S cities shine 20 percent to 50 percent more. This data from NASA actually comes from their satellite imagery or from the NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar orbiting Partnership satellite as well as the use of an algorithm to collect data for the other sources of light.
NASA actually examined light output during the Holiday season for 70 major U.S cities in 2012 and 2013 and found that the increased brightness is actually found more in suburban areas than in urban areas. As a matter of fact, NASA had this to say:
In most suburbs and outskirts of major cities, light intensity increased by 30 (percent) to 50 percent . Lights in the central urban areas did not increase as much as in the suburbs, but still brightened by 20 (percent) to 30 percent.
That is a lot of brightness during this time of year! Now the United States isn’t the only place they studied and found increased brightness around a time we are celebrating the holidays. According to a report by ABC News, and according to NASA, in the Middle East, the brightness increases during a celebration for them as well. The Middle East’s Holiday is called Ramadan which is their holy time.
What do you think of NASA’s findings? Does this surprise you with all of the decorating we all do every year during the Holiday time? Sound off with your opinion in the comments section below and let everyone know what you think about this.
