NASA Urges Public To Leave The City As Milky Way Appears — 15 Places To Go
A panoramic image of the Milky Way over the fromations of the Garden of Eden in Arches National ... More Park, Moab, Utah. (Photo by: Jon G. Fuller/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
When and where is the best place to see the Milky Way? The bright core of the Milky Way — the biggest and best sight at night — becomes visible in June in the Northern Hemisphere. Since it rises right after dark, NASA is advising people to get away from light pollution to see it arc across the night sky.
When To See The Milky Way In 2025
The Milky Way is visible from the Northern Hemisphere all year, but its bright core only emerges in the southern sky after dark in late May and June. This bright core — the center of the galaxy — is the brightest and most impressive part of the Milky Way. It's home to many nebulae and star clusters that look fabulous in binoculars.
The season to see the core is generally June through September from north of the equator. That's when the constellations Sagittarius and Scorpius peek above the southern horizon, with the arc of the galaxy seen flowing into them from the Summer Triangle high in the southeast.
With the solstice on June 20 this year, regions above about 50 degrees north — such as Canada and the U.K. — experience no absolute darkness, making July a better time to see the Milky Way. However, from anywhere south of that cut-off, such as the U.S. and Europe, late June is a great time to see it. However, whether you'll be able to see it at all is down to light pollution.
the milky way over the grand canyon from the north rim
Where To See The Milky Way In 2025
The collective brightness of up to 400 billion stars may seem easy to see, but the wonderous sight is blotted out by light pollution. The night sky's brightness increased by between 7% and 10% per year between 2011 and 2022, according to a study published in 2023.
Hence this advice from NASA about seeing the Milky Way's core. "It is best observed from dark sky locations far from bright city lights and appears as a faint, cloud-like band arching across the sky toward the south," says Preston Dyches, Public engagement specialist at NASA, in a post. Imaging the Milky Way with a camera (or a newer smartphone, if it has "Night Mode") is a great way of seeing more. "Long-exposure photos make the Milky Way's bright stars and dark dust clouds even clearer," says Dyches. "However you observe it, getting out under the Milky Way in June is a truly remarkable way to connect with the cosmos."
The Milky Way galaxy sets over Fajada Mesa at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
Best Places To See The Milky Way In June 2025
Dark rural skies are what you need, which you can find with the help of a light pollution map or by visiting a Dark Sky Place. Here are some of the best places to go in the U.S. and southern Europe:
1. Cherry Springs State Park International Dark Sky Park, Pennsylvania
2. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Maine
3. Gower National Landscape International Dark Sky Community, Wales
4. Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park International Dark Sky Park, Florida
5. Fremont Indian State Park International Dark Sky Park, Utah
6. Morvan Regional Park International Dark Sky Reserve, Saint-Brisson, France
7. Grand Canyon National Park International Dark Sky Park, Arizona
8. Medicine Rocks State Park International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Montana
9. Middle Fork River Forest Preserve International Dark Sky Park, Illinois
10. Chaco Culture National Historical Park International Dark Sky Park, New Mexico
11. Great Basin National Park International Dark Sky Park, California/Nevada
12. Anholt Island International Dark Sky Park, Anholt, Denmark
13. Devils River State Natural Area — Del Norte Unit International Dark Sky Sanctuary, Texas
14. Geauga Observatory Park International Dark Sky Park, Ohio
15. Obed Wild and Scenic River International Dark Sky Park, Tennessee
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
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