
The images were captured using VIIRS “day-night” band. Earth Observatory explained that this band “detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as gas flares, city lights, and reflected moonlight.” Moonlight is the reason that the shade of the ocean shifts between the two images.
Power had been restored to just under 400,000 homes and business by Thursday night, but millions are still without electricity. The island’s government-owned power authority AEE said it expected more than half of its customers to have power by Friday morning, and 90 percent are hoped to be connected by Saturday.
The Big Picture is a recurring feature highlighting beautiful images that tell big stories. We explore topics as large as our planet, or as small as a single life, as affected by or seen through the lens of technology.