How many miles away can an airplane see the light pollution from Los Angeles?

The correct answer indicates that an airplane can see light pollution from Los Angeles at a distance of 200 miles. This phenomenon is primarily due to the significant brightness generated by urban areas, which creates a glow that can be visible from great distances, especially at high altitudes.

Airplanes fly at altitudes that can enhance visibility; from these heights, the dense concentration of lights from a major city like Los Angeles can be discerned much farther away than from the ground. Studies suggest that light from urban centers can illuminate the sky, and depending on atmospheric conditions, such as clarity and pollution, this light can travel quite far, often reaching up to 200 miles or more.

This specific figure reflects a balance between average visibility under various conditions and the intensity of the artificial light produced by a large metropolitan area, thus supporting the assertion that 200 miles is a realistic distance from which an airplane might see the light pollution emanating from Los Angeles.