New maps from NASA using nearly a decade's worth of data show how the use of artificial light has shifted over the years.   To make the maps, NASA researchers analyzed data collected by its "Black Marble" program , which uses a specialized sensor to capture low-light imagery of Earth at night. The data was collected by three different satellites between 2014 and 2022.  Researchers expected to find "a gradual increase in artificial light at night" over the years, NASA said in a news release .