4 Ways To See The Milky Way

You may be able to see parts of the Milky Way as early as March or as late as August. Between November and February, however, it is not visible. [2] X Research source

You can use an almanac or a weather website to learn when sunset and sunrise will happen on any particular day. Use this to plan your trip.

Since the Milky Way appears in the southern sky, you should travel south of any major cities. If you do this, the light from the city will not interfere with your viewing of the Milky Way. Nature reserves, mountains, deserts, and other unsettled areas are great places to view the Milky Way. To find dark areas, you can use a light pollution map, such as this one: http://www. youcanseethemilkyway. com/light-pollution/.

Most weather services will tell you both how many clouds there will be as well as what phase the moon is in. Several apps, such as Luna Solaria or Moon Phase Plus, will tell you what phase the moon is in.

You can still see the Milky Way in other parts of the southern hemisphere, but this will give you the largest view of the galaxy.

Consider taking a blanket with you so that you can lie down and gaze at the Milky Way.

Some common constellations found near the Milky Way include Sagittarius, Alpha Centauri, Cygnus, and the Magellanic Clouds. You can buy a star chart at a planetarium, science museum, or online. You can also get apps, like Stellarium or SkyGuide, that will download star charts to your phone automatically.

Any size of binoculars or telescope will work. With a higher magnification or aperture, you will be able to see more detail, but you can still pick out individual stars with a low magnification.

If you can, adjust the shutter speed based on the size of your lens. Divide 500 by the diameter of your lens. Use the result to set the shutter speed. For example, if your lens is 25mm, then you should set your shutter speed to 20 seconds. You may need to adjust the contrast later to get the best results.