|This remarkably complete view of Earth at night is a composite
of cloud-free, nighttime images. The images were collected
during April and October 2012 by the Suomi-NPP satellite from
polar orbit about 824 kilometers (512 miles) above the surface
using its Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite VIIRS offers
greatly improved resolution and sensitivity compared to past
global nightlight detecting instrumentation on DMSP satellites.
It also has advantages compared to cameras on the International
Space Station, passing over the same point on Earth every two or
three days while Suomi-NPP passes over the same point twice a
day at about 1:30am and 1:30pm Easy to recognize here, city
lights identify major population centers, tracking the effects
of human activity and influence across the globe. images of our
fair planet among the most interesting views from space. Data
and Processing: Chris Elvidge and Robert Simmon