<p>Googling for 'light pollution map' gives a pretty good looking <a href="http://www.lightpollutionmap.info/" rel="noreferrer">result</a>. Those things usually are created using satellite measurments that are susceptible to scattered light (by measuring the polarity of light) in order to separate direct illumination from actual light pollution.</p>

<p>I also suggest you visit a city and then compare the light pollution index on this site to what you know as home, in order to get a feeling for the severity of the numbers.</p>

<p>I cannot answer your question about how many people have never seen our galaxy, as this is a function of travel willingness of each individual living in a city and therefore maybe even impossible to answer for our intelligence agencies.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T20:07:27.423Z
2016-10-04T20:07:27.423Z
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
<p>There's a recent study on this, based on satellite and ground observations around the world.</p>

<p>According to <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/6/e1600377.full">the paper</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The Milky Way is hidden from more than one-third of humanity, including 60% of Europeans and nearly 80% of North Americans.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And there's a map: <a href="http://cires.colorado.edu/Artificial-light">The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness</a>. This is probably the most accurate and up to date light pollution map we have at the moment.</p>

<p>The percentages are based on population density, I don't know of any numbers for individuals. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-09T02:03:51.157Z
2016-10-09T02:03:51.157Z
j-g-faustus
<p>Growing up far from any city, I have always been able to view the full night sky. It was just the way how things were. Of course, I knew that light pollution is a thing, and that the sky is a lot less clear if you live in a city.</p>

<p>It just never occurred to how bad it was before talking with people who had experienced it.</p>

<p>Apparently:</p>

<ul>
<li>Inside a city, it is pretty much impossible to view anything.</li>
<li>It is not a lot better just outside a city, the sky is still mostly empty.</li>
<li>Most of Europe, parts of the US, India, and eastern Asia is so polluted with light that you can not see the Milky way.</li>
</ul>

<p>Does anyone have a map showing the affected area? How many people have never seen our own galaxy?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-04T21:35:00.443Z
Even 50 miles away from NYC you can still see a strong glow on the horizon that makes it hard to see even the brightest stars.
zephyr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-09T17:54:19.090Z
I live in Berlin/Germany and when there are no clouds above, I can easily spot Big Dipper. Orion and thousands of other stars. But I can't see Milky Way or Andromeda. 50 years ago out on the country I've seen it.
ott--
<observational-astronomy><milky-way><light-pollution><night-sky>
In what parts of the world is it impossible to view the night sky due to light pollution?
SE - stop firing the good guys
# In what parts of the world is it impossible to view the night sky due to light pollution?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-04)

Growing up far from any city, I have always been able to view the full night sky. It was just the way how things were. Of course, I knew that light pollution is a thing, and that the sky is a lot less clear if you live in a city.

It just never occurred to how bad it was before talking with people who had experienced it.

Apparently:

* Inside a city, it is pretty much impossible to view anything.
* It is not a lot better just outside a city, the sky is still mostly empty.
* Most of Europe, parts of the US, India, and eastern Asia is so polluted with light that you can not see the Milky way.

Does anyone have a map showing the affected area? How many people have never seen our own galaxy?

**Tags:** observational-astronomy, milky-way, light-pollution, night-sky

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Even 50 miles away from NYC you can still see a strong glow on the horizon that makes it hard to see even the brightest stars.  
> **username_2**: I live in Berlin/Germany and when there are no clouds above, I can easily spot Big Dipper. Orion and thousands of other stars. But I can't see Milky Way or Andromeda. 50 years ago out on the country I've seen it.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2016-10-09. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

There's a recent study on this, based on satellite and ground observations around the world.

According to [the paper](http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/2/6/e1600377.full):

> The Milky Way is hidden from more than one-third of humanity, including 60% of Europeans and nearly 80% of North Americans.

And there's a map: [The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness](http://cires.colorado.edu/Artificial-light). This is probably the most accurate and up to date light pollution map we have at the moment.

The percentages are based on population density, I don't know of any numbers for individuals.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-04. Score: 6

Googling for 'light pollution map' gives a pretty good looking [result](http://www.lightpollutionmap.info/). Those things usually are created using satellite measurments that are susceptible to scattered light (by measuring the polarity of light) in order to separate direct illumination from actual light pollution.

I also suggest you visit a city and then compare the light pollution index on this site to what you know as home, in order to get a feeling for the severity of the numbers.

I cannot answer your question about how many people have never seen our galaxy, as this is a function of travel willingness of each individual living in a city and therefore maybe even impossible to answer for our intelligence agencies.


---

