Free tools · NASA Black Marble, night light
Night light in eThekwini
Night light seen from space, 2025: brightness 10.7 nW/cm²/sr on average, 86% of the land lit. 10% brighter than 2024; 18% brighter than 2012.
Night light is the light a satellite sees from space at about 1:30 in the morning: street lights, buildings, mines, factories, harbours and fires. NASA takes out moonlight, haze and stray light, leaves out cloudy nights and sets faint glow to zero. Brightness is the light given off, in nanowatts per square centimetre per steradian (nW/cm²/sr), averaged over the place; “lit” is the share of the land giving off 1 or more, twice the faint glow NASA treats as noise.
What it is not: it cannot tell the grid from solar or a generator, who pays for the light, how many people live there or how well off they are. A load-shedding month mixes dark nights with lit ones, fires and flares can light a month up, and a cloudy month rests on fewer nights.
2025
- 10.7Average brightnessnW/cm²/sr, NASA’s yearly product
- 86%Of the land lit50% bright (5 nW/cm²/sr or more)
- 18% brighterAgainst 20122012: 9.1 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit
2026 so far (10 months, from the monthly figures): brightness 12.1 nW/cm²/sr, 88% lit. NASA’s yearly figure for 2026 comes early next year.
Every year since 2012
Show the numbers
| When or what | Figure |
|---|---|
| 2012 | brightness 9.1 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2013 | brightness 8.9 nW/cm²/sr, 66% lit |
| 2014 | brightness 8.7 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2015 | brightness 8.7 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2016 | brightness 8.4 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2017 | brightness 8.5 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2018 | brightness 8.5 nW/cm²/sr, 68% lit |
| 2019 | brightness 8.5 nW/cm²/sr, 69% lit |
| 2020 | brightness 8.6 nW/cm²/sr, 72% lit |
| 2021 | brightness 8.4 nW/cm²/sr, 73% lit |
| 2022 | brightness 8.5 nW/cm²/sr, 79% lit |
| 2023 | brightness 8.7 nW/cm²/sr, 81% lit |
| 2024 | brightness 9.7 nW/cm²/sr, 84% lit |
| 2025 | brightness 10.7 nW/cm²/sr, 86% lit |
Month by month
Every month since January 2012brightness, nW/cm²/sr
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 11.6 | 11.0 | 13.2 | 12.1 | 12.3 | 12.5 | 12.4 | 11.6 | 11.9 | 12.7 | ||
| 2025 | 10.4 | 9.7 | 8.9 | 9.7 | 10.5 | 10.9 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 11.3 | 11.8 | 9.9 | 11.1 |
| 2024 | 8.5 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 10.2 | 11.7 | 9.9 | 10.3 | 9.7 | 11.1 |
| 2023 | 9.5 | 8.6 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 7.9 |
| 2022 | 9.2 | 7.8 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 9.5 | 8.4 | 9.2 | 8.4 | 8.7 |
| 2021 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 7.4 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.1 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 8.2 | 8.3 | 8.1 |
| 2020 | 7.8 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.0 | 8.3 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.3 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 7.8 |
| 2019 | 8.7 | 8.0 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.8 | 8.5 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.2 | 8.7 |
| 2018 | 8.8 | 7.7 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 9.1 | 8.1 |
| 2017 | 7.9 | 9.4 | 8.6 | 8.5 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.2 | 8.5 |
| 2016 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 8.9 | 8.6 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 8.2 |
| 2015 | 8.1 | 8.6 | 7.7 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.7 | 8.4 | 7.9 | 9.0 | 8.4 |
| 2014 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 9.6 | 8.5 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 9.3 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.9 | 9.6 | 7.4 |
| 2013 | 7.9 | 8.3 | 8.6 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.3 | 8.6 |
| 2012 | 10.9 | 8.5 | 10.1 | 9.6 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 8.4 | 9.4 | 7.7 | 8.8 |
Hover or tap a month for its lit share, how much NASA filled from earlier months and how many clear nights it rests on. Every figure is also in the API.
Every year
| Year | Brightness (nW/cm²/sr) | Lit | Bright | Filled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10.7 | 86% | 50% | 0% |
| 2024 | 9.7 | 84% | 48% | 0% |
| 2023 | 8.7 | 81% | 44% | 0% |
| 2022 | 8.5 | 79% | 44% | 0% |
| 2021 | 8.4 | 73% | 43% | 0% |
| 2020 | 8.6 | 72% | 42% | 0% |
| 2019 | 8.5 | 69% | 41% | 0% |
| 2018 | 8.5 | 68% | 40% | 0% |
| 2017 | 8.5 | 68% | 40% | 0% |
| 2016 | 8.4 | 68% | 39% | 0% |
| 2015 | 8.7 | 68% | 39% | 0% |
| 2014 | 8.7 | 68% | 38% | 0% |
| 2013 | 8.9 | 66% | 38% | 0% |
| 2012 | 9.1 | 68% | 39% | 0% |
Lit: the share of the land giving off 1 nW/cm²/sr or more. Bright: 5 or more. Filled: the share NASA filled from earlier months for want of a clear night.
Its 112 wards, 2025by ward number
- Ward 14.8, 99% lit
- Ward 21.3, 39% lit
- Ward 34.1, 93% lit
- Ward 45.9, 100% lit
- Ward 53.6, 100% lit
- Ward 67.1, 94% lit
- Ward 74.8, 97% lit
- Ward 85.2, 100% lit
- Ward 96.4, 100% lit
- Ward 109.6, 100% lit
- Ward 1123.6, 100% lit
- Ward 1214.2, 100% lit
- Ward 1311.7, 100% lit
- Ward 1413.0, 100% lit
- Ward 1518.4, 100% lit
- Ward 1619.2, 100% lit
- Ward 1715.3, 100% lit
- Ward 1826.0, 100% lit
- Ward 1911.7, 100% lit
- Ward 2012.0, 100% lit
- Ward 2124.8, 100% lit
- Ward 2218.2, 100% lit
- Ward 2319.1, 100% lit
- Ward 2417.7, 100% lit
- Ward 2535.5, 100% lit
- Ward 2669.2, 100% lit
- Ward 2749.1, 100% lit
- Ward 2883.1, 100% lit
- Ward 2925.2, 100% lit
- Ward 3025.8, 100% lit
- Ward 3153.0, 100% lit
- Ward 3259.9, 100% lit
- Ward 3337.1, 100% lit
- Ward 3432.7, 100% lit
- Ward 3533.7, 100% lit
- Ward 3628.0, 100% lit
- Ward 3721.6, 100% lit
- Ward 3818.8, 100% lit
- Ward 3926.4, 100% lit
- Ward 4033.3, 100% lit
- Ward 4128.1, 100% lit
- Ward 4225.1, 100% lit
- Ward 4319.6, 100% lit
- Ward 449.9, 100% lit
- Ward 4526.8, 100% lit
- Ward 4632.7, 100% lit
- Ward 4727.6, 100% lit
- Ward 4829.7, 100% lit
- Ward 4930.6, 100% lit
- Ward 5026.0, 100% lit
- Ward 5124.7, 100% lit
- Ward 5226.9, 100% lit
- Ward 5315.7, 100% lit
- Ward 5443.8, 100% lit
- Ward 5521.0, 100% lit
- Ward 5615.6, 100% lit
- Ward 5719.1, 100% lit
- Ward 589.1, 100% lit
- Ward 593.7, 94% lit
- Ward 607.6, 99% lit
- Ward 614.8, 100% lit
- Ward 624.9, 68% lit
- Ward 6318.4, 100% lit
- Ward 6424.5, 100% lit
- Ward 6518.9, 100% lit
- Ward 6626.7, 100% lit
- Ward 6710.9, 100% lit
- Ward 6827.6, 100% lit
- Ward 6919.0, 100% lit
- Ward 7024.0, 100% lit
- Ward 7124.5, 100% lit
- Ward 7211.1, 100% lit
- Ward 7320.4, 100% lit
- Ward 7424.0, 100% lit
- Ward 7547.9, 100% lit
- Ward 7632.4, 100% lit
- Ward 7714.1, 100% lit
- Ward 7826.3, 100% lit
- Ward 7922.9, 100% lit
- Ward 8024.6, 100% lit
- Ward 8126.0, 100% lit
- Ward 8230.9, 100% lit
- Ward 8330.2, 100% lit
- Ward 8414.7, 100% lit
- Ward 8525.8, 100% lit
- Ward 8622.8, 100% lit
- Ward 8727.7, 100% lit
- Ward 8828.8, 100% lit
- Ward 8919.2, 100% lit
- Ward 9028.5, 100% lit
- Ward 9110.8, 100% lit
- Ward 9215.9, 100% lit
- Ward 9323.9, 100% lit
- Ward 9413.9, 100% lit
- Ward 9511.5, 100% lit
- Ward 965.6, 94% lit
- Ward 9711.7, 100% lit
- Ward 985.1, 96% lit
- Ward 994.3, 72% lit
- Ward 1001.8, 58% lit
- Ward 10129.6, 100% lit
- Ward 10216.8, 100% lit
- Ward 1034.0, 99% lit
- Ward 10436.1, 100% lit
- Ward 1051.3, 42% lit
- Ward 10615.9, 100% lit
- Ward 10725.4, 100% lit
- Ward 1087.9, 99% lit
- Ward 10913.5, 100% lit
- Ward 11027.8, 100% lit
- Ward 1114.2, 99% lit
- Ward 11214.8, 100% lit
Listed by number, not ranked: night light shows where light is, not how people live. Each ward’s page sets it against its own past and its municipality.
Every municipality · Everything we hold for eThekwini
Source
NASA Black Marble night lights, VNP46A3 (monthly) and VNP46A4 (yearly), collection 2, from NASA’s LAADS DAAC (doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP46A3.002 and doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP46A4.002). The product’s page.
What we changed: we added up NASA’s light over each 2026 ward (each pixel, about 460 m across, split in four and given to the ward holding each quarter) and added the wards up to municipalities, districts and provinces.
The satellite (Suomi NPP) passes at about 1:30 in the morning. NASA’s monthly figure is the mean of the month’s clear nights; a pixel with no clear night is filled from earlier months, and that share is shown. The yearly figure is NASA’s own mean of the year’s clear nights, so it is close to, not exactly, the mean of the twelve months.
Dataset: night light by ward, release 2026-11-13.