TEXT: """A NASA Earth Observatory handout released December 5, 2012 of a composite image of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at night, 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. REUTERS/NASA Earth Observatory/Handout (SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - GF2E8C51UIA01"""