bendobrown

bendobrown / Dark-Light-Viewer

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Dark Light Viewer - a tool to conduct change detection over time using VIIRS night lights data.

14
0
100% credibility
Found Mar 04, 2026 at 14 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
JavaScript
AI Summary

A browser-based mapping tool that lets users detect and visualize global changes in nighttime lights from satellite data to monitor events like conflicts, disasters, and urban growth.

How It Works

1
🔗 Discover the tool

You find Dark Light Viewer on GitHub or through a news story and click the link to open it right in your web browser.

2
🗺️ Choose your location

Pick from example spots like cities in conflict zones or wildfires, or just zoom and pan the map to any place on Earth that catches your interest.

3
📅 Pick a time to compare

Select how far back to look, such as one year ago or five years ago, so you can spot real changes over time.

4
🔍 Hit analyze

Click the big blue button to quickly scan satellite pictures and uncover where nighttime lights have grown brighter or faded darker.

5
🌍 See the magic map

Watch the right side of the screen light up with colors—brown for dimming areas, teal for brightening ones—and slide to compare before and after.

6
📊 Click for details

Tap any spot on the map to pop up a graph showing light levels month by month over the years, revealing trends at a glance.

✅ Get your insights

Export the key change spots as a simple file to share your discoveries for stories, research, or planning, feeling empowered by the clear evidence.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is Dark-Light-Viewer?

Dark Light Viewer is a JavaScript app for Google Earth Engine that detects changes in global nighttime lights using NASA's VIIRS satellite data from 2012 onward. Draw a map area, pick a baseline like 1 year ago, and it generates split-screen maps with color-coded percentage change overlays—brown for dimming cities, teal for growth—plus click-to-view time-series charts. No coding needed; just launch the hosted app to conduct change analysis on power outages, urban booms, or crises.

Why is it gaining traction?

It stands out with instant, free browser-based analysis on ~500m resolution data that auto-updates monthly, presets for hotspots like Gaza or Ukraine, and exports of clustered change nodes as GeoJSON. Unlike raw GEE scripts or desktop GIS tools, it bundles severity classification, temporal RGB composites, and built-in limitations guides (e.g., LED undercounting, clouds) for reliable results without setup. Developers grab it for quick OSINT prototypes over fiddling with github dark reader extensions or dark github themes.

Who should use this?

Journalists verifying dark light drama in conflict zones like dark light survivor scenarios in Gaza; humanitarian analysts tracking displacement via dark lighting drops; economists cross-checking GDP in data-poor areas; urban planners spotting ghost developments; disaster responders mapping power loss post-hurricanes. Skip if you're tweaking github dark nvim or dark light game mods—this is for geospatial pros needing satellite change detection.

Verdict

Solid prototype for niche night lights monitoring (14 stars, 1.0% credibility score), with thorough docs and active maintenance, but low adoption signals it's not battle-tested at scale—test on your region before relying. Worth forking for custom baselines if GEE JS appeals.

(198 words)

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