Milan at night in 2015

 Milan at night, Italy, as seen by ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti aboard the International Space Station in September 2022.

Samantha used a digital camera with 180 mm-lenses to take this picture from space. Colour pictures taken from the International Space Station are the best source for scientists to map artificial light at night.

This image of Milan was acquired after the transition to LED technology in the centre. The illumination levels appear to be similar or even brighter in the centre than the suburbs, and the amount of blue light is now much higher, which suggests a greater impact on the ability to see the stars, human health and the environment.

This image has been colour-calibrated by the International Astronomical Union.