The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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London, capital of the United Kingdom, at night as seen from the International Space Station 10 years apart.
The images were taken 400 km above Earth by André Kuipers in 2012 (left) and by Samantha Cristoforetti in 2022 (right).
Both astronauts used the same lenses (180 mm) but not the same angle or camera. These images have been colour-calibrated.
Colour pictures taken from the International Space Station are the best source for scientists to map artificial light at night.
Over the last two decades astronauts are witnessing from space how cities shine whiter at night as new street lighting technologies were introduced.
More than half of all the public street lighting in the UK was converted to white LEDs by early 2019.
Researchers highlight how invasive night lights are and their negative effects for the environment in the paper Environmental risks from artificial nighttime lighting widespread and increasing across Europe.