NASA Can See Christmas Lights From Space
Photo shows how United States lights up even more around Christmas.
— -- Those twinkling holiday lights illuminating suburban streets can even be seen from space.
Using data from a satellite run by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, researchers determined that patterns of light intensity changed during the major holidays.
In the United States, that means the lights shine brightest between Black Friday and New Year's, while in the Middle East they're most visible during Ramadan.
The data was crunched after filtering out moonlight, clouds and airborne particles, NASA scientists said.
Researchers found that light intensity increased by as much as 50 percent in suburban areas during the Christmas season, while urban areas were more illuminated by 20 to 30 percent, according the findings, which were released on NASA's website.