The Milky Way will be visible without a telescope this summer. Here are the key nights to watch for.

[Judi Lynn]

By Jamie Carter published yesterday

Summer is the best time to see the Milky Way in the Northern Hemisphere without a telescope. The key is to find clear, dark skies on moonless nights.



A photo of a bright Milky Way behind the silhouettes of trees
The Milky Way from Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. (Image credit: Daniel Viñé Garcia Getty Images)

It's the best time of the year to see the Milky Way. In July and August, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, the bright center of our galaxy becomes visible, but only to those in the right place at the right time. If the skies are clear, it's possible to see billions of stars arching across the night sky.

Sadly, most people in North America and Europe have no chance of seeing the Milky Way unless they travel to a dark-sky location. It's also necessary to avoid strong moonlight, which makes only about 10 days per month in the summer months suitable for easily seeing the Milky Way after dark. So it's not surprising that an estimated 80% of North Americans have never seen the Milky Way.

According to Capture The Atlas, it's possible to see the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere from March to September. From the Southern Hemisphere, that window expands by about a month on each side.

Your latitude on Earth makes a difference, but generally, the Milky Way is visible in the early morning from March to June and in the evening from July to early October. For example, if you want to see the Milky Way in March, you'll have to be up at 4 a.m. By September, it's an after-sunset event.

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https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/the-milky-way-will-be-visible-without-a-telescope-this-summer-here-are-the-key-nights-to-watch-for

[msongs]

1. we could see it fine on those - 40F nights in north dakota lol nt

[Judi Lynn]

4. Wow! Had absolutely no idea that could happen there. Whoa!

What a shock. Can't even imagine.

So the air is really so clear at that temperature, but it's too cold to be outside looking!

[Bo Zarts]

2. I'm back in my Pacific Northwest wilderness fire lookout tower.

I spent today charging camera batteries, cleaning sensors, and rigging photographic equipment. I’ll be ready for the Milky Way and the Northern Lights.

[Silent Type]

3. Looking forward to some of your photos.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Unbelievable opportunity. That should be an unparalleled view. Best wishes.🌌

[electric_blue68]

7. Exciting! Good Luck!

[electric_blue68]

6. I was extra lucky, and not thinking of it. My friend, and I slept overnight in Monument Valley....

It was early July 1979. We went to sleep in our sleeping bags around 9PM. We had a full moon.

We other woke up aroind 3:30Aish the moon had set.

And spanning practically most of the sky: the glittering arc that was The Milky Way.
Amazing! Magical!
Within a half hour the faintest stars began to disappear as the faintest light of the sunrise ? 1 1/2+ hours away arrived.

Only regret was not thinking to take a photo. Sure it would have blurry. I'd have perched it on my stomach, and tried several long exposures. Might have been lucky.

Visiting MV was extraordinary even if we hadn't slept over,but oh my goodness what a sublime extra experience!

[Judi Lynn]

8. Can't imagine how intense that experience was. A transcendent moment.

Your sharing is vivid, reminds us of what we know lies beyond loud, useless, transitory noise of daily lives. Hard to explain, but it's a welcome refocusing.

Thank you, so much, for taking the time to recall that event for other sojourners!

[electric_blue68]

9. Oh, thank you so much for your kind words!

That experience was unbelievably extra surprise!

For me the amazing forms, and colors of the MV itself as the day made it's way towards sunset; changing - a place I'd been entranced with for years from photos was transcendent.

Even traveling gently upward from the tree, pine filled roadways layered in grass of the lower areas of the mountains The San Fransisco Peaks above Flagstaff; as we descended the grass changed to scrubs, and sand toward the High Desert that had called to me through photos - revealed some of it's colors in the further distance: beiges, orchers, pale purples etc - that sense of transcendence wrapped around me. Filled me with wonderment!

[SCantiGOP]

10. I saw it once

A cold, clear night in a very remote area of S.C., probably not a street light or electric bulb in 5-10 miles.
There were so many stars we pulled over to see them and were totally astounded to see the Milky Way.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

11. Alas, that picture is not remotely like

what any of us will see.

I had the good fortune to spend my childhood in northern NYS (Utica, and north) in the 1950s when there was almost no light pollution. I spent that childhood out in our backyard, looking at the stars. Lucky me.