Credits / Attributions

The optional Active Fires overlay shows recent VIIRS satellite-detected thermal anomalies from NASA FIRMS in rolling 24, 48 or 72 hour windows. Hotspots are not exact fire perimeters or smoke coverage. Not every anomaly is a wildfire; missing detections do not establish that an area is free of fire. Retrieved timestamps describe WMS image retrieval, not the acquisition time of every detection.

Source: NASA FIRMS, NOAA VIIRS. NASA and NOAA do not endorse DarkSkySites. This environmental overlay does not change the artificial light-pollution model.

• NASA FIRMS
• FIRMS WMS documentation
• FIRMS interpretation and limitations

The current worldwide Satellite Clouds overlay uses the Space Science and Engineering Center's RealEarth global infrared composite (globalir). DarkSkySites displays actual hourly observations with screen blending and enhanced display contrast, retaining the original source imagery and watermark. Infrared imagery is not a cloud-cover probability, a verified cloud-free mask or a simultaneous exposure of the entire Earth. Observation times, delivery delays and missing scans are disclosed in the cloud controls.

Source: SSEC RealEarth, UW-Madison

• SSEC RealEarth
• RealEarth terms of use and required acknowledgement

The retained regional scientific-mask implementation, separate from the current worldwide cloud overlay, combines the MSG scientific Cloud Mask with same-time Meteosat Third Generation GeoColour imagery through EUMETView. DarkSkySites requests matching Web Mercator images, masks and desaturates these products. Clear classifications are transparent. Hatched or uncovered areas are unknown, not clear sky. This is observed imagery, not a cloud-cover forecast.

Contains modified EUMETSAT Meteosat products, 2026. CC BY 4.0. No EUMETSAT endorsement. Observation times and delivery delays are displayed in the controls.

• EUMETView
• EUMETSAT Data Policy
• CC BY 4.0

DarkSkySites uses NASA's VNP46A3 monthly composite: VIIRS/NPP Lunar BRDF-Adjusted Nighttime Lights Monthly L3 Global 15 arc second Linear Lat Lon Grid. These Black Marble nighttime-light observations underpin the satellite-derived radiance processed by DarkSkySites. We acknowledge NASA Earthdata, the Level-1 and Atmosphere Archive & Distribution System Distributed Active Archive Center (LAADS DAAC), the VIIRS instrument and mission teams, and the Black Marble science team led by Miguel O. Román. These acknowledgements credit observations and published research, not the development of LUMIX or APEX.

NASA data and scientific references do not imply NASA or NOAA endorsement of DarkSkySites. Source observations are independently processed by DarkSkySites; model outputs are not NASA products.

• VNP46A3 monthly composite product
• NASA nighttime-light products
• NASA Black Marble
• NASA Earthdata data-use policy
• Black Marble product-suite paper

The optional Aurora map overlay uses NOAA SWPC's operational OVATION short-term auroral activity forecast for both hemispheres. NOAA SWPC also supplies the estimated planetary Kp feed shown with aurora information. DarkSkySites reprojects and colourises the model grid independently of its light-pollution models. Modelled activity is not the probability of seeing aurora from the ground; Kp is geomagnetic context, not a local observing forecast.

Aurora forecast data: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center. Actual visibility also depends on darkness, clouds and local conditions. NOAA does not endorse DarkSkySites.

• NOAA aurora 30-minute forecast
• Operational OVATION data
• NOAA estimated planetary Kp data

Atmospheric inputs used in the DarkSkySites modelling approach draw on CAMS, implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on behalf of the European Union. The derived sky-brightness models are DarkSkySites' own work.

Contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Neither the European Commission nor ECMWF is responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

• Copernicus CAMS
• CAMS data licence and required acknowledgement
• ECMWF and CAMS

Natural Earth provides the public-domain geographic data used for the independent Country Borders layer's coastlines and country outlines at 1:50 million scale, and the land mask at 1:110 million scale. The country outlines are distributed as TopoJSON through the World Atlas project. We acknowledge Natural Earth's contributors, including Tom Patterson and Nathaniel Vaughn Kelso, and the World Atlas project. These generalized boundaries are orientation aids, not authoritative current political boundaries.

Made with Natural Earth. Natural Earth map data is in the public domain; the World Atlas distribution and software retain their own applicable notices.

• Natural Earth
• Natural Earth terms of use
• World Atlas source and notices

OpenStreetMap supplies the underlying geographic database used by our basemaps and OpenStreetMap-based geocoders. We thank the volunteer contributors who create and maintain it.

© OpenStreetMap contributors. OpenStreetMap data is available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL). Applicable database attribution and share-alike obligations remain with that data.

• OpenStreetMap copyright and contributors
• Open Database License 1.0
• Attribution guidelines

CARTO supplies the map backgrounds used by DarkSkySites, including Dark Matter, Positron and Voyager. CARTO basemaps incorporate OpenStreetMap data.

© CARTO. © OpenStreetMap contributors. CARTO basemap service access is governed by CARTO's basemap terms; acknowledgement is not a substitute for service authorisation.

• CARTO attribution
• CARTO basemap terms

Nominatim provides OpenStreetMap-based reverse geocoding and place-name lookups. The public service is operated by the OpenStreetMap Foundation. Its service usage policy is separate from the ODbL licence on the underlying data.

Geocoding data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the ODbL.

• Nominatim
• Public-service usage policy
• Nominatim source and licence

Location search uses the Photon geocoder and its public endpoint hosted by komoot. Photon is open-source geocoding software based on OpenStreetMap data.

Search data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the ODbL. Photon software is licensed under Apache License 2.0.

• Photon project and software licence
• OpenStreetMap data licence

OpenWeather supplies weather forecasts, cloud cover, temperature, wind, humidity, air-pollution forecasts and weather-condition icons where these features are available. Forecast data remains separate from DarkSkySites' permanent sky-brightness modelling.

Weather data provided by OpenWeather. Use and redistribution are subject to the applicable OpenWeather subscription and data licence.

• OpenWeather
• OpenWeather website terms
• Data licensing

The local geoip-country dataset is used for coarse country-level IP lookup. It does not provide precise observer coordinates.

This product includes GeoLite2 data created by MaxMind, available from https://www.maxmind.com.

• MaxMind
• GeoLite2 end-user licence
• geoip-country source

IPWhois provides the external IP-geolocation service used by the application where configured. IP-derived locations are approximate, not GPS measurements.

• IPWhois service and documentation
• Service terms

We thank the observers who submit Sky Quality Meter (SQM) readings and other observational feedback. User-submitted measurements are distinct from satellite-derived estimates. Individual contributors' personal details are not published here without permission.

DSS uses React, TypeScript, Vite, Node.js, Express, OpenLayers, Leaflet, Proj4js, D3, Recharts, SunCalc, Astronomia, Lucide, React Feather, Radix UI, Tailwind CSS, Drizzle, PostgreSQL client libraries, Sharp and libvips, amongst other packages. Native WebGPU support uses the webgpu package and Dawn. The accompanying inventory records exact locked versions, declared licences and upstream links; the notices file preserves the licence, copyright, notice and end-user-licence texts shipped with installed packages.

• Complete software notices
• Versioned dependency inventory
• OpenLayers
• SunCalc
• Astronomia
• Dawn
• Sharp licensing and native dependencies
• libvips source

The locally bundled Inter typeface is credited to The Inter Project Authors and is distributed under the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1. Its full licence is included in the downloadable notices.

• Inter project
• Inter copyright and OFL licence

The application uses Neon/PostgreSQL, OpenAI, Resend and SMTP services where configured. These services are acknowledged as infrastructure providers, not authors of LUMIX or APEX. Their own service terms apply.

• Neon
• PostgreSQL licence
• OpenAI terms
• Resend terms