Las Vegas, the brightest nighttime city on Earth

by astro_pettit

25 Comments

  1. astro_pettit on

    Las Vegas, Nevada, perhaps the brightest place on Earth! The new Vegas Sphere is centered, appearing from orbit as a distinct dot of light beside the famous Strip. I took this photo with my Nikon Z9 on Expedition 72 to the ISS. More photos from space can be seen on my [twitter](https://x.com/astro_Pettit) and instagram, astro_pettit

  2. Grouchy_Bicycle8203 on

    I’m sure others are brighter, think the likes of Tokyo, someone fact check me?

  3. That’s a great shot. I like “downtown” the best.  
    See you at the 4 Queens.

  4. ferrari_snowday on

    Very cool! Out of curiosity, what is the super dark “L” just off center of what I assume is the strip? Apologies if it’s super obvious; I’ve never been to Las Vegas!

  5. LordBungaIII on

    And it’s not even nice looking light pollution. I miss the yellow light. Looked like rivers of gold

  6. BlueRosePhantom on

    That looks too small? Vegas is huge if you are counting the whole surrounding area.

  7. MachinegunNami on

    Brighter than Shibuya, Tokyo? Guangzhou? Shenzhen? rlly?

    i feel like it could be the “brightest” in the us but on earth?? thats insane xD

  8. I was thinking that can’t *possibly* be right, the Strip is tiny. But maybe it’s because any actual city has dense, tall buildings that hide and absorb the light (and might even have intentionally curbed escaping light pollution) and Las Vegas is a parking lot with a few huge light installations with plenty of surface to bounce off of.

    Pretty pic nonetheless!

  9. Opposite_Opening_689 on

    I’ve flown over it and visited it along a train ride across America, wasn’t impressed, got back on train after my cigarette .I prefer NYzc

  10. Aleksander909912 on

    Is it just me or does that not kinda look like a face?
    You got a pointy nose and a pointy chin and you kinda have some lips, neck and a head

  11. That’s really not a flex. Unnecessary wasted energy and terrible light pollution. Abysmal public transport infrastructure.

  12. There’s something beautiful about it but also weirdly dystopian.

    Wish I could actually see the night sky, all the stars and stuff. But no, I get a handful of semi-bright stars on a pitch black canvas. Fucking hate light pollution