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Yahoo
a day ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Where can you see the Milky Way in Florida? These 3 'dark sky' locations may be the best view
August has been a month jam-packed with cosmic phenomena visible from Earth – from nebulas to meteor showers to planetary conjunctions. But the month isn't over yet. Now? Add into the mix one of the last best opportunities to see the Milky Way. The center of our galaxy is positively teeming with billions of stars that routinely become bright and vibrant at certain times of the year – if you're in the right place at the right time. As summer nears its end, so, too, does the so-called "Milky Way season" in the United States. Fortunately, stargazers in Florida still have a chance to glimpse the Milky Way's iconic band of hazy light as it arcs across the night sky. The best part? You don't need any fancy telescopes or equipment to view it; just your eyes and maybe a camera, if you're into astral photography. Here's everything to know about our Milky Way, including three of the potential best "dark sky" locations in Florida to see the stunning natural phenomenon. Mars: 'Enhanced' photo from Perseverance shows Mars under Earth-like skies What is the Milky Way galaxy? The Milky Way is our home galaxy with a disc of stars that spans more than 100,000 light-years. Because it appears as a rotating disc curving out from a dense central region, the Milky Way is known as a spiral galaxy. Our planet sits along one of the galaxy's spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA. The Milky Way sits in a cosmic neighborhood called the Local Group that includes more than 50 other galaxies. Those galaxies can be as "small" as a dwarf galaxy with up to only a few billion stars or as large as Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. Why is it called the Milky Way? The Milky Way got its name because from our perspective on Earth, it appears as a faint, milky band of light stretching across the sky. Milky Way could be visible from Earth. Will Florida have a view? Though the Milky Way is generally always visible from Earth, certain times of year are better for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the band of billions of stars. "Milky Way season," when the galaxy's bright center becomes easier to see from Earth, typically runs from February to October, according to the Milky Way photography website Capture the Atlas. But because visibility from Earth depends on the latitude, the further south you go, the longer the Milky Way season will last. For instance, in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the continental United States, the best time to see the Milky Way is generally from March to September, according to Capture the Atlas. What you're looking at when the Milky Way is visible is the bright center of our galaxy, "seen edge-on from our position within the galaxy's disk," Preston Dyches, who hosts NASA's "What's Up," a monthly video series that describes what's happening in the night sky, wrote in June for NASA. When can Floridians see the Milky Way in August 2025? The center of the Milky Way, which Dyches refers to as "the core," became visible in June and is expected to shine every night through August as it gets higher in a darker sky. Typically, the sky is darkest from about midnight to 5 a.m., according to Capture the Atlas. You can check sunrise and sunset times at your location using the website TimeAndDate. "This doesn't mean that as soon as the sun goes down you can see the Milky Way," writes Dan Zafra, co-founder of Capture the Atlas. "Even if it's in the sky, the Milky Way will be barely visible during blue hour, so you'll have to wait at least until the end of the astronomical twilight to see all the details of the Milky Way." From June to August, the Milky Way will be diagonal at the beginning of the night, vertical during the middle of the night, and low above the horizon at the end of the night, according to Capture the Atlas. Where, how can you see the Milky Way from Florida? Here are some tips Spectators will have the best luck on cloud-free nights and in locations away from city light pollution. Of the 159 locations in the United States that are designated dark sky communities, three locations are in Florida. That includes: in Lake County about 30 miles west of Orlando Kissimmee Praire Preserve State Park, 25 miles north of Okeechobee Big Cyrpress National Preserve in Ochopee in South Florida, in the Everglades Stargazers can observe the Milky Way galaxy by looking for the Summer Triangle, a shape formed by "three bright stars" that spans across the Milky Way, according to science news website LiveScience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way rises in the southeast, travels across the southern sky and sets in the southwest, according to Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Milky Way season: Galaxy may appear brightest from 3 Florida locations Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Milky Way to remain visible in August across US. Here's when, how to see our galaxy
August has been a month jam-packed with cosmic phenomena visible from Earth – from nebulas to meteor showers to planetary conjunctions. But the month isn't over yet. And now, add to the mix one of the last best opportunities to see the Milky Way. The center of our galaxy is teeming with billions of stars that routinely become bright and vibrant at certain times of the year – if you're in the right place at the right time. As summer nears its end, so, too, does the "Milky Way season" in the United States. Fortunately, stargazers still have a chance to glimpse the galaxy's iconic band of hazy light as it arcs across the night sky. The best part? You don't need fancy telescopes or equipment to view it − just your eyes, dark skies and maybe a camera, if you're into astral photography. Here's everything to know about our Milky Way, including how to see the stunning natural phenomenon. Mars: 'Enhanced' photo from Perseverance shows Mars under Earth-like skies What is the Milky Way galaxy? The Milky Way is our home galaxy with a disc of stars that spans more than 100,000 light-years. Because it appears as a rotating disc curving out from a dense central region, the Milky Way is known as a spiral galaxy. Our planet sits along one of the galaxy's spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA. The Milky Way sits in a cosmic neighborhood called the Local Group that includes more than 50 other galaxies. Those galaxies can be as "small" as a dwarf galaxy, with up to only a few billion stars, or as large as Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. Why is it called the Milky Way? The Milky Way got its name because from our perspective on Earth, it appears as a faint, milky band of light stretching across the sky. Is the Milky Way visible from Earth? Though the Milky Way is generally always visible from Earth, certain times of year are better for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the band of billions of stars. "Milky Way season," when the galaxy's bright center becomes easier to see from Earth, typically runs from February to October, according to the Milky Way photography website Capture the Atlas. But because visibility from Earth depends on the latitude, the further south you go, the longer the Milky Way season will last. In the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the continental United States, the best time to see the Milky Way is generally from March to September, according to Capture the Atlas. What you're looking at when the Milky Way is visible is the bright center of our galaxy, "seen edge-on from our position within the galaxy's disk," Preston Dyches, who hosts NASA's "What's Up," a monthly video series that describes what's happening in the night sky, wrote in June for NASA. When can you see the Milky Way in August 2025? The center of the Milky Way, which Dyches refers to as "the core," became visible in June and is expected to shine every night through August as it gets higher in a darker sky. Typically, the sky is darkest from about midnight to 5 a.m., according to Capture the Atlas. You can check sunrise and sunset times at your location using the website TimeAndDate. "This doesn't mean that as soon as the sun goes down you can see the Milky Way," writes Dan Zafra, co-founder of Capture the Atlas. "Even if it's in the sky, the Milky Way will be barely visible during blue hour, so you'll have to wait at least until the end of the astronomical twilight to see all the details of the Milky Way." From June to August, the Milky Way will be diagonal at the beginning of the night, vertical during the middle of the night, and low above the horizon at the end of the night, according to Capture the Atlas. How can you see the Milky Way? Here are some tips Stargazers can observe the Milky Way by looking for the Summer Triangle, a shape formed by three bright stars that spans across the Milky Way, according to science news website LiveScience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way rises in the southeast, travels across the southern sky and sets in the southwest, according to Spectators will have the best luck on cloud-free nights and away from city light pollution. DarkSky International maintains a website that lists all designated dark sky communities around the world, including 159 locations in the United States. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Center of Milky Way will be visible in August. How to see it in US
USA Today
2 days ago
- Science
- USA Today
Milky Way to remain visible in August across US. Here's when, how to see our galaxy
As summer nears its end, so too does the so-called "Milky Way season" in the United States. August has been a month jam-packed with cosmic phenomena visible from Earth – from nebulas to meteor showers to planetary conjunctions. But the month isn't over yet. Now? Add into the mix one of the last best opportunities to see the Milky Way. The center of our galaxy is positively teeming with billions of stars that routinely become bright and vibrant at certain times of the year – if you're in the right place at the right time. As summer nears its end, so, too, does the so-called "Milky Way season" in the United States. Fortunately, stargazers still have a chance to glimpse the Milky Way's iconic band of hazy light as it arcs across the night sky. The best part? You don't need any fancy telescopes or equipment to view it; just your eyes and maybe a camera, if you're into astral photography. Here's everything to know about our Milky Way, including how to see the stunning natural phenomenon. Mars: 'Enhanced' photo from Perseverance shows Mars under Earth-like skies What is the Milky Way galaxy? The Milky Way is our home galaxy with a disc of stars that spans more than 100,000 light-years. Because it appears as a rotating disc curving out from a dense central region, the Milky Way is known as a spiral galaxy. Our planet sits along one of the galaxy's spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA. The Milky Way sits in a cosmic neighborhood called the Local Group that includes more than 50 other galaxies. Those galaxies can be as "small" as a dwarf galaxy with up to only a few billion stars or as large as Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. Why is it called the Milky Way? The Milky Way got its name because from our perspective on Earth, it appears as a faint, milky band of light stretching across the sky. Is the Milky Way visible from Earth? Though the Milky Way is generally always visible from Earth, certain times of year are better for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the band of billions of stars. "Milky Way season," when the galaxy's bright center becomes easier to see from Earth, typically runs from February to October, according to the Milky Way photography website Capture the Atlas. But because visibility from Earth depends on the latitude, the further south you go, the longer the Milky Way season will last. For instance, in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the continental United States, the best time to see the Milky Way is generally from March to September, according to Capture the Atlas. What you're looking at when the Milky Way is visible is the bright center of our galaxy, "seen edge-on from our position within the galaxy's disk," Preston Dyches, who hosts NASA's "What's Up," a monthly video series that describes what's happening in the night sky, wrote in June for NASA. When can you see the Milky Way in August 2025? The center of the Milky Way, which Dyches refers to as "the core," became visible in June and is expected to shine every night through August as it gets higher in a darker sky. Typically, the sky is darkest from about midnight to 5 a.m., according to Capture the Atlas. You can check sunrise and sunset times at your location using the website TimeAndDate. "This doesn't mean that as soon as the sun goes down you can see the Milky Way," writes Dan Zafra, co-founder of Capture the Atlas. "Even if it's in the sky, the Milky Way will be barely visible during blue hour, so you'll have to wait at least until the end of the astronomical twilight to see all the details of the Milky Way." From June to August, the Milky Way will be diagonal at the beginning of the night, vertical during the middle of the night, and low above the horizon at the end of the night, according to Capture the Atlas. How can you see the Milky Way? Here are some tips Stargazers can observe the Milky Way galaxy by looking for the Summer Triangle, a shape formed by "three bright stars" that spans across the Milky Way, according to science news website LiveScience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way rises in the southeast, travels across the southern sky and sets in the southwest, according to Spectators will have the best luck on cloud-free nights and in locations away from city light pollution. DarkSky International maintains a website that lists all designated dark sky communities around the world, including 159 locations in the United States. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The Milky Way will be visible this weekend. Here's how to see it
If you've never gotten a good luck at the Milky Way galaxy, you'll have that opportunity on Fourth of July weekend. "The best time to see the Milky Way in (Massachusetts) is from March to September," according to the Capture the Atlas website. The best part? You don't need any fancy telescopes or equipment to view it. The Milky Way is our home galaxy with a disc of stars that spans more than 100,000 light-years. Because it appears as a rotating disc curving out from a dense central region, the Milky Way is known as a spiral galaxy. Our planet sits along one of the galaxy's spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA. The Milky Way sits in a cosmic neighborhood called the Local Group that includes more than 50 other galaxies. Those galaxies can be as "small" as a dwarf galaxy with up to only a few billion stars or as large as Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. The Milky Way got its name because from our perspective on Earth, it appears as a faint, milky band of light stretching across the sky. The Capture the Atlas website states that, "from July to August: The Milky Way is visible during the middle of the night." Though the Milky Way is generally always visible from Earth, certain times of year are better for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the band of billions of stars. But because visibility from Earth depends on the latitude, the further south you go, the longer the Milky Way season will last. For instance, in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the continental United States, the best time to see the Milky Way is generally from March to September, according to Capture the Atlas. What you're looking at when the Milky Way is visible is the bright center of our galaxy, "seen edge-on from our position within the galaxy's disk," Preston Dyches, who hosts NASA's "What's Up," a monthly video series that describes what's happening in the night sky, wrote for NASA. The center of the Milky Way, which Dyches refers to as "the core," became visible in June and is expected to shine every night through August as it gets higher in a darker sky. Typically, the sky is darkest from about midnight to 5 a.m., according to Capture the Atlas. You can check sunrise and sunset times at your location using the website TimeAndDate. "This doesn't mean that as soon as the sun goes down you can see the Milky Way," writes Dan Zafra, co-founder of Capture the Atlas. "Even if it's in the sky, the Milky Way will be barely visible during blue hour, so you'll have to wait at least until the end of the astronomical twilight to see all the details of the Milky Way." Stargazers can observe the Milky Way galaxy by looking for the Summer Triangle, a shape formed by "three bright stars" that spans across the Milky Way, according to science news website LiveScience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way rises in the southeast, travels across the southern sky and sets in the southwest, according to The Milky Way can be seen clearly with the naked eye. But in a past interview with USA Today Network, Tim Brothers, Massachusetts Institute of Technology technical Instructor and observatory manager, said with any case of stargazing, it's much better if you're using a good telescope or a pair of binoculars. Eric Lagatta contributed to this report. He is the Space Connect reporter for the USA Today Network. This article originally appeared on You'll be able to see the Milky Way this weekend. Here's how
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Milky Way may be visible July 4 weekend in California, across US: How to see our galaxy
Looking for an alternative to fireworks? California stargazers have the opportunity to catch a cosmic light show this Independence Day when the Milky Way appears in the night sky. The center of our home galaxy, which is composed of billions of stars, is expected to be bright and vibrant throughout the month ahead, including Fourth of July weekend. Astronomers say this is perhaps the best time of year to glimpse the iconic band of hazy light known as the Milky Way as it arcs across the sky. The best part? You don't need any fancy telescopes or equipment to view it; just your eyes – and maybe a camera, if you're into astral photography. Milky Way photos: See images of our galaxy making itself visible around the globe Here's everything to know about our Milky Way, including how to see the stunning natural phenomenon. The Milky Way is our home galaxy with a disc of stars that spans more than 100,000 light-years. Because it appears as a rotating disc curving out from a dense central region, the Milky Way is known as a spiral galaxy. Our planet is located along one of the galaxy's spiral arms, about halfway from the center, according to NASA. The Milky Way sits in a cosmic neighborhood called the Local Group that includes more than 50 other galaxies. Those galaxies can be as small as a dwarf galaxy with up to only a few billion stars, or as large as Andromeda, our nearest large galactic neighbor. The Milky Way got its name because from our perspective on Earth, it appears as a faint, milky band of light stretching across the entire sky. While the Milky Way is generally always visible from Earth, certain times of year are better for stargazers to catch a glimpse of the band of billions of stars comprising our galaxy. "Milky Way season," when the galaxy's bright center becomes easier to see from Earth, typically runs from February to October, according to Milky Way photography website Capture the Atlas. But because visibility from Earth depends on the latitude, the further south you go, the longer the Milky Way season will last. For instance, in the Northern Hemisphere, which includes the entire continental United States, the best time to see the Milky Way is generally from March to September, according to Capture the Atlas. What you're looking at when the Milky Way is visible is the bright center of our galaxy, "seen edge-on from our position within the galaxy's disk," Preston Dyches, who hosts NASA's "What's Up," a monthly video series that describes what's happening in the night sky, wrote for NASA. The center of the Milky Way, which Dyches refers to as "the core," became visible in June, and is expected to shine every night through August as it gets higher in a darker sky. Typically, the sky is darkest between sunset and sunrise, or about midnight and 5 a.m., according to Capture the Atlas. You can check the sunrise and sunset times at your location using the website TimeAndDate. "This doesn't mean that as soon as the sun goes down, you can see the Milky Way," writes Dan Zafra, co-founder of Capture the Atlas. "Even if it's in the sky, the Milky Way will be barely visible during blue hour, so you'll have to wait at least until the end of the astronomical twilight to see all the details of the Milky Way." Stargazers can observe the Milky Way galaxy by looking for the Summer Triangle, a shape formed by "three bright stars" that spans across the Milky Way, according to science news website LiveScience. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Milky Way rises in the southeast, travels across the southern sky and sets in the southwest, according to Spectators will have the best luck on cloud-free nights and in locations away from city light pollution – including *ahem* fireworks. DarkSky International maintains a website that lists all designated dark sky communities around the world, including 159 locations in the U.S. There are several in California, including in Death Valley, Joshua Tree National Park, Borrego Springs, Anza Borrego Desert State Park and Julian. Eric Lagatta is the Space Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at elagatta@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Milky Way visible from California? How to see galaxy July 4 weekend
