Diwali night lights photo from NASA went viral.
HighLights
Satellite image of Diwali lights goes viral. Actually this picture of India is not of Diwali night. It has been made by NOAA to show population growth.
Digital Desk, Naiduniya. Every year during Diwali, a famous ‘satellite image’ goes viral on social media, in which it is claimed that India looks like this from within, lit up with lights on the Diwali night. However, the truth of this picture is actually something else. People often share this photo, but it is important to know the truth behind it.
Why does this picture go viral on Diwali?
Diwali, also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, is an important festival of the Hindu calendar, also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains. It lasts for five days, where families gather, exchange gifts, eat together and enjoy fireworks.
During Diwali, people decorate their homes, shops and places of worship with lamps and lights, due to which people share such pictures. (The picture shown above is of Diwali celebrated in Ayodhya.)
viral image
The satellite image that goes viral on social media is not actually of Diwali. This photo is actually a collab (combination) of different photos made by the ‘National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’ (NOAA).
This image shows the population
According to a BBC report, this photo was created to show India’s population growth, highlighting changes in lighting in cities between 1992 and 2003. The white areas represent city lights as they appeared before 1992, while the blue, green and red areas represent lights as they appeared in 1992, 1998 and 2003, respectively.
Happy #Diwali!
This photo was taken by @NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite on Diwali in 2012, capturing an infrared view of South Asia on the evening of the holiday.
Learn more about how this image was taken: https://t.co/TjT4WH2Cxb pic.twitter.com/6SKW91JlxM
— NASA History Office (@NASAhistory) November 4, 2021
Image of India taken by NASA on Diwali night
The true satellite image of Diwali night is actually very small. NASA has clarified that the additional light generated during Diwali is so faint that it is very difficult to see from space. In fact, the photo published by NASA in 2012 is the real photo of Diwali night, which eliminates the misconceptions spread about it.