LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — With the bright lights of Las Vegas shining into the night sky, seeing the Perseid meteor shower may take a bit of maneuvering to get the best view.
It’s the biggest meteor shower of the year and will peak on Tuesday and Wednesday. The shower, consisting of small particles of ice and rocks from comets and asteroids, creates a bright, colorful light when it slams into Earth’s atmosphere and burns up. The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus.
The late-night entertainment will include shooting stars and fireballs — anywhere from 50 to 100 meteors per hour streaking through the sky, according to NASA.
While some may be able to see the Perseids from their Las Vegas valley home, the best viewing can be found away from city lights, where darkness envelopes the sky. Places such as Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Mount Charleston, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area are within an hour’s drive of Las Vegas. If you’re up for a longer drive, you might consider other locations, including Valley of Fire State Park, Death Valley National Park, or the Great Basin National Park…