Where And When to Get the Best Photos of the Milky Way

How to find our galaxy and eight great Dark Sky destinations for astrophotography in North America

PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
The “River of Heaven”, the “Ganges of the Sky”, the “Vía Láctea.” All are names for what we call our home galaxy, the Milky Way. In summer, it’s some sight under dark skies, and now is the very best time of the year to see it arch across the night sky.

Why Is Now a Good Time to See the Milky Way?

Firstly, from about July 25 (a week before New Moon) through Aug. 3 there’s no significant moonlight in the night sky. That’s critical — you will not see much of the Milky Way if there is any kind of strong moonlight. Secondly, during summer the Earth at night is tilted towards the Milky Way’s bright core, the Galactic Center. That’s behind the constellations of Scorpius and Sagittarius, which are visible high in the sky from April through November, but at their highest just after dark in August and September. The same moonless “Milky Way window” opens up again between Aug. 23 - Sept. 2 and Sept. 21 - Oct. 1.