The Milky Way galaxy is usually visible from many observatories and with strong, well-mounted telescopes. This summer and this fall, our galactic home can easily be seen with the naked eye in clear, dark skies at night without moonlight.
Our Cosmic Neighborhood Coming Into View
The second half of the year happens to be the best time to view the Milky Way. The bright hub of our home galaxy appears into view during July and August from the Northern Hemisphere.
Unfortunately, the vast majority of North Americans and Europeans can only see the Milky Way if they travel to a dark sky location. Indeed, 80% of North Americans have never seen our galactic home.
With suitably dark skies, anyone can see the band of the Milky Way with plain eyes. A good small telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars will help someone focus on objects of interest and be well-placed to benefit from some of the best stargazing opportunities this year.
READ ALSO: Summer Triangle: How To Spot the Milky Way's Guidepost in the Night Sky
Best Conditions to Observe the Milky Way
However, this magnificent sight is only visible to one who is placed in the right position at the right time. In the event that the skies are clear, even ordinary persons can see billions of stars strung across the night sky.
Viewers should also avoid strong moonlight, which happens only about 10 days per month, in order to easily view the Milky Way post dark during the summer months.
According to Capture the Atlas, one can get a glimpse of the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere between March and September. From the Southern Hemisphere, that window grows by about a month on both ends.
It does make a difference how far north or south a viewer is located on Earth. In general, though, the Milky Way is best seen in the morning hours from March into June and from July into early October in the evening. For example, if someone wants to see the Milky Way in March, they need to be out at 4 a.m. By September, this view will be an after-sunset event.
Other conditions that would reveal the viewing conditions of the Milky Way are moonless night skies, which make up 10 nights around the new moon. This is specifically met from the last quarter moon to three nights after the new moon when a crescent moon will set soon after the dark.
This means the best dates to see the Milky Way for summer and fall are June 28-July 8, July 28-August 7, August 26-September 6, and September 24-October five this year.
Viewers should also be aware of sunset and sunrise times throughout July and August, as restrictions on hours of darkness are less than ideal. The Milky Way will be most visible right after sunset during this time period. A person has to be in complete darkness for the best viewing.
An observer should let his eyes darken, allowing adaptation in the dark for at least 20 minutes. It means not gazing at a smartphone or any other source rich in white light following sunset.
The farther south an observer is, the deeper into the Milky Way they will see. The constellation Sagittarius, for example, which hosts the bright central black hole of our galaxy, is low on the southern horizon from New York State at 41 degrees north.
From Miami, at 26 degrees north, Sagittarius will appear 15 degrees higher in the sky. This is only true for the highest height of the constellation. Sagittarius will rise in the southeast as the night progresses and then sinks.
RELATED ARTICLE: Milky Way's Outermost Regions Unveiled by New All-Sky Map
Check out more news and information on Milky Way in Science Times.
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