The milky way galaxy is one out of at least 100 billion in the universe. Our galaxy stretches 100,000 light years wide. Every star you can see with the unaided eye is located within the milky way. The only object you can see (without optical aid) in the sky outside of the milky way is the Andromeda Galaxy.
Before electricity, the night sky had great contrast between the stars and the sky - the sky was black and very dim stars were easy to see, the Milky Way was obvious. You can find out for yourself because there are still some places far from cities and their resulting Light Pollution.
There is an easy way to get above all that air – go to the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. Here, in one of the driest, highest and clearest skies in the world is the small town of San Pedro de Atacama.
Stargazer's Checklist
- Wait for a night that is clear and dark. You can see more stars when the Moon is not shining brightly.
- Get away from streetlights. The farther you are from lights, the more stars you can see.
- Give your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.
- Kids, get permission from an adult.
Acadia National Park, Maine
The highest point on the east coast of the U.S., it's the best place to see the Milky Way, though there are plenty of other spots in amateur astronomers' favorite Acadia National Park.Light pollution affects primarily the observations of faint objects, such as nebulae or distant galaxies. Bright objects such as the Moon, the big planets, or some of the bright stars, are not affected by light pollution. The Andromeda galaxy also is visible with the naked eye if the sky is dark enough.
Generally the dense part of the Milky Way is best viewed when it is as high as possible in the Southern sky. Facing south during April and May the pre-dawn hours are best. From June to early August the best time is near midnight, though the Milky Way will be visible almost all night.
North York Moors National Park, England
There are three Dark Sky Discovery Sites in the North York Moors: Sutton Bank National Park Centre, The Moors National Park Centre and Dalby Forest, where you can see the Milky Way with the naked eye.If observing the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere the head of Scorpius always rises before the core of the Milky Way. If you find this constellation already in the night sky, look to the left of it and you will find the core.
The Milky Way used to be visible on every clear, moonless night, everywhere in the world. Today, however, most people live in places where it's impossible to see the Milky Way because of widespread light pollution caused by lights left on all night long.
Facing south during April and May the pre-dawn hours are best. From June to early August the best time is near midnight, though the Milky Way will be visible almost all night. From Mid August through September the best time is soon after the sun has set and the sky has grown dark.
Facing south during April and May the pre-dawn hours are best. From June to early August the best time is near midnight, though the Milky Way will be visible almost all night. From Mid August through September the best time is soon after the sun has set and the sky has grown dark.
In the US Central Nevada, Eastern Utah, Montana, Death Valley California, Breckenridge, Colorado, Hawaii. In short, remote areas far from any light pollution afford the best view. But if you know what to look for and when and where to look you can spot the Milky Way from many places throughout the world.
A full moon will drown out all of the faint stars in the sky, including the milky way. Even a slim moon can brighten the sky background quite a bit, so it's best to avoid it. To see a dark sky all night long, you want to go stargazing during the new moon.
Exploring Our Galaxy From Inside
Late on a summer night, the part of the Milky Way Galaxy we can see from Earth stretches high across the sky. The center of our galaxy lies in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius (near the trees, left).List of stargazing locations in London
- Grove Park Community Group – Ringway Centre. 268 Baring Road, London, SE12 0DS.
- Hampstead Observatory.
- Morden Hall Park – National Trust.
- Norman Fisher Observatory at Kenley.
- Regent's Park Hub.
- Royal Observatory Greenwich.
- Ruislip Lido.
- University of Central London Observatory.
Natural Bridges National Monument, United States
The world's first International Dark-Sky Park, Natural Bridges lies beneath skies almost perfectly free from light pollution—labeled Class 2 on the Bortle Dark-Sky Scale, meaning the Milky Way and certain other celestial objects are visible to the naked eye.
