NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

NASA has released new photos of the Earth at night, taken by the Suomi NPP satellite earlier this year.

NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

Light from North and South America is shown from a composite image assembled from data acquired by the satellite.

NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

This image of the US at night was assembled from data acquired in April and October 2012.

NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

Light from Africa, Europe, and the Middle East can be seen in this composite image.

NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

The aurora australis, or "southern lights," can be seen over Antarctica’s Queen Maud Land and the Princess Ragnhild Coast.

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Using the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), the satellite was able to monitor the Arctic sea ice.

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The satellite captured nighttime images of of wildfires burning in Idaho and Montana on the night of August 29.

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City lights along South America's Atlantic coast were captured in this image from the night of July 20.

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The satellite captured a nighttime view of low-lying marine layer clouds along the California coast on September 27.

NASA EARTH OBSERVATORY

An image taken on September 24 shows the vast difference in light emitted from North and South Korea.