{
  "title": "India Night Sky Report 2026 — city light pollution trends",
  "description": "Night-time radiance for 50 Indian cities in 2015, 2020 and 2025, with decadal change, modelled SQM sky brightness and Bortle class.",
  "source": "NASA Black Marble VNP46A4 C2 annual composites (AllAngle_Composite_Snow_Free), 15 arcsec",
  "method": "Mean radiance over a +/-0.1 degree box (~22x22 km) centred on each city",
  "units": {
    "radiance": "nW/cm2/sr",
    "sqm": "mag/arcsec2",
    "bortle": "1-9 scale"
  },
  "license": "CC BY 4.0 — free to republish with attribution to SkyQI (https://www.skyqi.in)",
  "report": "https://www.skyqi.in/blog/india-night-sky-report-2026",
  "generated": "2026-09-27",
  "cityCount": 50,
  "cities": [
    {
      "slug": "leh",
      "name": "Leh",
      "state": "Ladakh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 0.334,
        "2020": 0.687,
        "2025": 2.157
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 545.8,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 214.0,
      "sqm": 20.67,
      "bortle": 4
    },
    {
      "slug": "shimla",
      "name": "Shimla",
      "state": "Himachal Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 0.606,
        "2020": 0.806,
        "2025": 1.606
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 165.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 99.3,
      "sqm": 21.4,
      "bortle": 4
    },
    {
      "slug": "guwahati",
      "name": "Guwahati",
      "state": "Assam",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 4.789,
        "2020": 4.956,
        "2025": 12.161
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 153.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 145.4,
      "sqm": 18.37,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "jaisalmer",
      "name": "Jaisalmer",
      "state": "Rajasthan",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 1.158,
        "2020": 1.613,
        "2025": 2.905
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 150.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 80.1,
      "sqm": 20.54,
      "bortle": 4
    },
    {
      "slug": "indore",
      "name": "Indore",
      "state": "Madhya Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 12.067,
        "2020": 16.743,
        "2025": 30.018
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 148.8,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 79.3,
      "sqm": 17.78,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "thiruvananthapuram",
      "name": "Thiruvananthapuram",
      "state": "Kerala",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 3.813,
        "2020": 5.81,
        "2025": 9.345
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 145.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 60.8,
      "sqm": 20.03,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "patna",
      "name": "Patna",
      "state": "Bihar",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 8.934,
        "2020": 15.626,
        "2025": 21.53
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 141.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 37.8,
      "sqm": 18.0,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "manali",
      "name": "Manali",
      "state": "Himachal Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 0.148,
        "2020": 0.109,
        "2025": 0.349
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 135.8,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 220.2,
      "sqm": 22.0,
      "bortle": 1
    },
    {
      "slug": "rishikesh",
      "name": "Rishikesh",
      "state": "Uttarakhand",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 1.899,
        "2020": 2.23,
        "2025": 4.14
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 118.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 85.7,
      "sqm": 20.38,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "prayagraj",
      "name": "Prayagraj",
      "state": "Uttar Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 13.31,
        "2020": 12.046,
        "2025": 27.084
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 103.5,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 124.8,
      "sqm": 17.85,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "kochi",
      "name": "Kochi",
      "state": "Kerala",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 5.6,
        "2020": 6.717,
        "2025": 11.308
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 101.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 68.3,
      "sqm": 18.42,
      "bortle": 7
    },
    {
      "slug": "ahmedabad",
      "name": "Ahmedabad",
      "state": "Gujarat",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 21.07,
        "2020": 26.945,
        "2025": 41.938
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 99.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 55.6,
      "sqm": 17.57,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "varanasi",
      "name": "Varanasi",
      "state": "Uttar Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 9.791,
        "2020": 11.241,
        "2025": 19.251
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 96.6,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 71.3,
      "sqm": 18.07,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "dehradun",
      "name": "Dehradun",
      "state": "Uttarakhand",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 6.715,
        "2020": 7.729,
        "2025": 13.033
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 94.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 68.6,
      "sqm": 18.33,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "vadodara",
      "name": "Vadodara",
      "state": "Gujarat",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 13.537,
        "2020": 16.981,
        "2025": 25.294
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 86.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 49.0,
      "sqm": 17.9,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "bhubaneswar",
      "name": "Bhubaneswar",
      "state": "Odisha",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 9.525,
        "2020": 9.219,
        "2025": 17.658
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 85.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 91.5,
      "sqm": 18.13,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "vijayawada",
      "name": "Vijayawada",
      "state": "Andhra Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 5.261,
        "2020": 6.482,
        "2025": 9.742
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 85.2,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 50.3,
      "sqm": 20.01,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "srinagar",
      "name": "Srinagar",
      "state": "Jammu & Kashmir",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 5.237,
        "2020": 6.417,
        "2025": 9.674
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 84.7,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 50.8,
      "sqm": 20.01,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "surat",
      "name": "Surat",
      "state": "Gujarat",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 12.944,
        "2020": 16.535,
        "2025": 23.737
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 83.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 43.6,
      "sqm": 17.94,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "bhopal",
      "name": "Bhopal",
      "state": "Madhya Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 11.045,
        "2020": 12.95,
        "2025": 20.157
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 82.5,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 55.7,
      "sqm": 18.04,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "pune",
      "name": "Pune",
      "state": "Maharashtra",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 17.771,
        "2020": 23.191,
        "2025": 31.792
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 78.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 37.1,
      "sqm": 17.75,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "panaji",
      "name": "Panaji",
      "state": "Goa",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 4.327,
        "2020": 4.571,
        "2025": 7.511
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 73.6,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 64.3,
      "sqm": 20.12,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "raipur",
      "name": "Raipur",
      "state": "Chhattisgarh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 10.014,
        "2020": 11.317,
        "2025": 17.237
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 72.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 52.3,
      "sqm": 18.15,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "ludhiana",
      "name": "Ludhiana",
      "state": "Punjab",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 10.362,
        "2020": 11.484,
        "2025": 17.807
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 71.8,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 55.1,
      "sqm": 18.12,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "chandigarh",
      "name": "Chandigarh",
      "state": "Chandigarh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 14.48,
        "2020": 15.906,
        "2025": 24.66
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 70.3,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 55.0,
      "sqm": 17.91,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "udaipur",
      "name": "Udaipur",
      "state": "Rajasthan",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 5.908,
        "2020": 6.258,
        "2025": 9.985
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 69.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 59.6,
      "sqm": 20.0,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "amritsar",
      "name": "Amritsar",
      "state": "Punjab",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 7.937,
        "2020": 9.842,
        "2025": 13.342
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 68.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 35.6,
      "sqm": 18.31,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "coimbatore",
      "name": "Coimbatore",
      "state": "Tamil Nadu",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 8.118,
        "2020": 9.994,
        "2025": 13.482
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 66.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 34.9,
      "sqm": 18.31,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "gwalior",
      "name": "Gwalior",
      "state": "Madhya Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 8.258,
        "2020": 10.255,
        "2025": 13.343
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 61.6,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 30.1,
      "sqm": 18.31,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "chennai",
      "name": "Chennai",
      "state": "Tamil Nadu",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 19.679,
        "2020": 22.599,
        "2025": 31.734
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 61.3,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 40.4,
      "sqm": 17.75,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "jabalpur",
      "name": "Jabalpur",
      "state": "Madhya Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 7.482,
        "2020": 8.917,
        "2025": 11.779
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 57.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 32.1,
      "sqm": 18.39,
      "bortle": 7
    },
    {
      "slug": "ranchi",
      "name": "Ranchi",
      "state": "Jharkhand",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 9.625,
        "2020": 11.194,
        "2025": 15.135
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 57.2,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 35.2,
      "sqm": 18.23,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "darjeeling",
      "name": "Darjeeling",
      "state": "West Bengal",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 0.428,
        "2020": 0.256,
        "2025": 0.661
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 54.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 158.2,
      "sqm": 21.59,
      "bortle": 4
    },
    {
      "slug": "madurai",
      "name": "Madurai",
      "state": "Tamil Nadu",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 5.357,
        "2020": 5.595,
        "2025": 8.25
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 54.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 47.5,
      "sqm": 20.08,
      "bortle": 5
    },
    {
      "slug": "ooty",
      "name": "Ooty",
      "state": "Tamil Nadu",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 1.111,
        "2020": 0.824,
        "2025": 1.681
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 51.3,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 104.0,
      "sqm": 21.39,
      "bortle": 4
    },
    {
      "slug": "nashik",
      "name": "Nashik",
      "state": "Maharashtra",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 9.517,
        "2020": 10.392,
        "2025": 14.203
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 49.2,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 36.7,
      "sqm": 18.27,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "mumbai",
      "name": "Mumbai",
      "state": "Maharashtra",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 24.615,
        "2020": 27.046,
        "2025": 36.536
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 48.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 35.1,
      "sqm": 17.66,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "jaipur",
      "name": "Jaipur",
      "state": "Rajasthan",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 20.62,
        "2020": 22.995,
        "2025": 30.543
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 48.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 32.8,
      "sqm": 17.77,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "kanpur",
      "name": "Kanpur",
      "state": "Uttar Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 16.366,
        "2020": 18.966,
        "2025": 22.769
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 39.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 20.1,
      "sqm": 17.96,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "kolkata",
      "name": "Kolkata",
      "state": "West Bengal",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 34.28,
        "2020": 37.709,
        "2025": 45.849
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 33.7,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 21.6,
      "sqm": 17.51,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "nagpur",
      "name": "Nagpur",
      "state": "Maharashtra",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 15.126,
        "2020": 12.449,
        "2025": 20.158
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 33.3,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 61.9,
      "sqm": 18.04,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "visakhapatnam",
      "name": "Visakhapatnam",
      "state": "Andhra Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 11.662,
        "2020": 11.707,
        "2025": 15.54
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 33.3,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 32.7,
      "sqm": 18.21,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "kota",
      "name": "Kota",
      "state": "Rajasthan",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 8.499,
        "2020": 7.388,
        "2025": 11.017
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 29.6,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 49.1,
      "sqm": 18.44,
      "bortle": 7
    },
    {
      "slug": "jodhpur",
      "name": "Jodhpur",
      "state": "Rajasthan",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 15.404,
        "2020": 16.414,
        "2025": 19.708
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 27.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 20.1,
      "sqm": 18.06,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "agra",
      "name": "Agra",
      "state": "Uttar Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 14.466,
        "2020": 12.493,
        "2025": 17.678
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 22.2,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 41.5,
      "sqm": 18.13,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "mysuru",
      "name": "Mysuru",
      "state": "Karnataka",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 10.45,
        "2020": 12.088,
        "2025": 12.338
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 18.1,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 2.1,
      "sqm": 18.36,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "lucknow",
      "name": "Lucknow",
      "state": "Uttar Pradesh",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 33.76,
        "2020": 34.609,
        "2025": 39.851
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": 18.0,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 15.1,
      "sqm": 17.6,
      "bortle": 8
    },
    {
      "slug": "delhi",
      "name": "Delhi",
      "state": "Delhi",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 59.491,
        "2020": 47.124,
        "2025": 57.475
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": -3.4,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 22.0,
      "sqm": 15.48,
      "bortle": 9
    },
    {
      "slug": "bengaluru",
      "name": "Bengaluru",
      "state": "Karnataka",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 69.102,
        "2020": 65.626,
        "2025": 65.003
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": -5.9,
      "change2020to2025Pct": -0.9,
      "sqm": 15.37,
      "bortle": 9
    },
    {
      "slug": "hyderabad",
      "name": "Hyderabad",
      "state": "Telangana",
      "radiance": {
        "2015": 53.314,
        "2020": 42.673,
        "2025": 49.498
      },
      "change2015to2025Pct": -7.2,
      "change2020to2025Pct": 16.0,
      "sqm": 17.46,
      "bortle": 8
    }
  ]
}