The Milky Way will be visible without a telescope this summer. Here are the key nights to watch for. [View all]

By Jamie Carter published yesterday

Summer is the best time to see the Milky Way in the Northern Hemisphere without a telescope. The key is to find clear, dark skies on moonless nights.



A photo of a bright Milky Way behind the silhouettes of trees
The Milky Way from Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. (Image credit: Daniel Viñé Garcia Getty Images)

It's the best time of the year to see the Milky Way. In July and August, as seen from the Northern Hemisphere, the bright center of our galaxy becomes visible, but only to those in the right place at the right time. If the skies are clear, it's possible to see billions of stars arching across the night sky.

Sadly, most people in North America and Europe have no chance of seeing the Milky Way unless they travel to a dark-sky location. It's also necessary to avoid strong moonlight, which makes only about 10 days per month in the summer months suitable for easily seeing the Milky Way after dark. So it's not surprising that an estimated 80% of North Americans have never seen the Milky Way.

According to Capture The Atlas, it's possible to see the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere from March to September. From the Southern Hemisphere, that window expands by about a month on each side.

Your latitude on Earth makes a difference, but generally, the Milky Way is visible in the early morning from March to June and in the evening from July to early October. For example, if you want to see the Milky Way in March, you'll have to be up at 4 a.m. By September, it's an after-sunset event.

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