Well, trying what several people have suggested I'm very close. now my problem 
is that the "lights" that aren't lit are blocking the image underneath the 
point. I'm posting a sample image in p.b.i. Look for "Earth Lights". If you 
look at it, you'll see lights in the Pacific, Japan, and the east coast of 
Australia.

However, if you look at India it's covered with black spots which is from the 
texture I'm using for the light map.

I thought maybe no_shadow on the light sphere would help, but it doesn't seem 
to make a difference.

If anyone could look at the sample smippet below and give me a pointer on what 
I may be able to do to get rid of the black spots, I'd appreciate it. Note that 
I simplified the scene a bit while working this out.

#declare Earth=

union {

//Sea Map (specular)

       sphere {0, 6378

         pigment {image_map {png "earth-seas.png" map_type 1 interpolate 2}}

         finish {ambient 0 diffuse 1 specular 0.5 roughness 0.01}}

// Nighttime City Lights

sphere
{
     0, 6378.02

      pigment {image_map {gif "earth_lights.gif" map_type 1 interpolate 2 
transmit 93, 1.0}}
      finish
      {
          diffuse -.9
          ambient .3
          brilliance 0
      }
      rotate <-2,-5,0>
}



//Atmospheric haze

object {BlueAtm scale 6900}

        }// end Earth union



object {Earth rotate <0,-15,0>}

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