"This NASA  image obtained December 6, 2012 of the continental United States at night is a composite assembled from data acquired by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012. The image was made possible by the satellite's ""day-night band"" of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS), which detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe dim signals such as city lights, gas flares, auroras, wildfires and reflected moonlight. = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "" AFP PHOTO / NASA Earth Observatory/NOAA NGDC/"" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS =HO/AFP/Getty Images Photo: HO, AFP/Getty Images / AFP"
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