Two New Worlds: Earth's Cousin and The Big Neighbor

[RobA]

I agree about the lights. If you look here you can see clusters, distinct coastlines, and even stripes along important rivers, rail lines, and roads. Generally on Earth people cluster around the coast and rivers so unless the society on your world is specifically more diffuse I think this would help bring out the night side of your planet.

Not to be a killjoy, but AFAIK you can't actually see the lights from space the way this is depicted.

Article on how the image was made: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Lights/

from page 2

The images were taken by a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program’s (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS). This network of satellites was originally designed to pick up on lunar illumination reflecting off of clouds at night in order to aid nighttime aircraft navigation. What the Air Force discovered is that on evenings when there was a new moon, the satellites were sensitive enough to record the illumination from city lights. Over a period of several new moons, the data the satellites retrieved could be pieced together to produce a global image of city lights.

So at best, take artistic license and just make it "look good".

-Rob A>