Last week NASA published “black marble” night images of our planet. Now Google, NASA and NOAA are partnering up to bring these night images over to Google Maps.

The imagery from black marble was taken over a period of nine days in April of 2012 and an additional 13 days in October of 2012. According to the team involved, it took 312 orbits.

So how did they capture this imagery exactly? The satellite involved utilized a new type of sensor, called the “visible infrared imaging radiometer suite”. This sensor is apparently sensitive enough to detect the night's glow of Earth even from such a far distance.

Even though Google is offering us a unique look at Black Marble, keep in mind that this is not an official Google Maps feature. To see these gorgeous night views for yourself, just hit the source below.