Why Can't I See the Milky Way in the City?

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In summary: From the conversation, it seems that the speaker is curious about why they can't see the Milky Way from their location. They live in the city, so the light pollution blocks out most of the stars. The speaker also mentions that the galactic core, which is located in Sagittarius, is most easily viewed during the summer in the northern hemisphere. They also mention that light pollution doesn't actually block out the light from the stars, but rather reduces the contrast between the background light and the stars. The speaker suggests that the listener Google their local astronomy club to find a dark sky and potentially attend a star party. They also mention that the Milky Way is a low-contrast object and that obscuring dust makes it difficult to see. The speaker
  • #1
joeyjo100
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i was walking down the road, looking up at the stars and i wondered why i didn't see more, and specifically why i couldn't see the miky way stretching across.

i live in the city, so i guess the fainter stars will be blocked out by light pollution.

But surely the light from a billion stars in the galactic core have enough combined output to be seen, even if I'm a city dweller.

not sure i understand galactic structures well enough to answer this myself, please help!
 
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  • #2
Wrong time of year to see the milky way. That's a summer night time target or you can wait until just before dawn to see it. You will need a fairly dark sky to see it.
 
  • #3
Yes, the galactic core is located in Sagitarrius which is most easily viewed during summer in the northern hemisphere.
 
  • #4
Just FYI, light pollutions doesn't "block" the light from the stars, it merely reduces the contrast between the background light and the stars. Sorry if you already knew this, but I wanted to make sure. Many people don't realize this.
 
  • #5
Drakkith said:
Just FYI, light pollutions doesn't "block" the light from the stars, it merely reduces the contrast between the background light and the stars. Sorry if you already knew this, but I wanted to make sure. Many people don't realize this.
Yes, and the MW is a very low-contrast object to begin with. I am lucky to live in a region where if you go out during a clear summer night, the MW is unescapable. It is just there! 70-80 miles south of here, and you'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of the core. Contrast is key with faint extended objects.
 
  • #6
You might Google for your local astronomy club, someone there will surely help you find a reasonably nearby dark site and will probably invite you to their next star party.

I live in the Washington DC suburbs about nine miles west of Washington, there's no way I can see the Milky Way and it's not even easy to find a dark sky within 30 miles further west of my home.
 
  • #7
though there are many many stars in the galactic bulge, it is also concealed by a great deal of gas and dust that sits on the plane of the galaxy, so you end up not seeing that many more stars in that direction than any other direction. It's part of why early astronomers of the 1800s believed at first that we were in the center of a large disk of stars, since it looked basically the same everywhere.
 
  • #8
SHISHKABOB said:
though there are many many stars in the galactic bulge, it is also concealed by a great deal of gas and dust that sits on the plane of the galaxy, so you end up not seeing that many more stars in that direction than any other direction. It's part of why early astronomers of the 1800s believed at first that we were in the center of a large disk of stars, since it looked basically the same everywhere.
That's true. There is a lot of obscuring dust. We have to get into infrared and other wavelengths to peer through obscurations.
 
  • #9
turbo said:
Yes, and the MW is a very low-contrast object to begin with. I am lucky to live in a region where if you go out during a clear summer night, the MW is unescapable. It is just there! 70-80 miles south of here, and you'd be lucky to even catch a glimpse of the core. Contrast is key with faint extended objects.

From my front yard I cannot make out any of the milky way. Or Andromeda. From my astrophotography site I can *barely* make out both of these naked eye. In fact, a few weeks ago a friend who images as well pointed the rising milky way out to me as he was leaving. I had to stop him and ask him what he was talking about because I couldn't see it until he took his arm and swept it across the sky. It was the first time I'd seen the milky way from our site.

I so wish I had been into astronomy when I was deployed to Diego Garcia, a little island in the Indian Ocean. I don't think I ever really looked up the whole 4 months I was there.
 
  • #10
Drakkith said:
From my front yard I cannot make out any of the milky way. Or Andromeda. From my astrophotography site I can *barely* make out both of these naked eye. In fact, a few weeks ago a friend who images as well pointed the rising milky way out to me as he was leaving. I had to stop him and ask him what he was talking about because I couldn't see it until he took his arm and swept it across the sky. It was the first time I'd seen the milky way from our site.

I so wish I had been into astronomy when I was deployed to Diego Garcia, a little island in the Indian Ocean. I don't think I ever really looked up the whole 4 months I was there.

oh jeez, I just looked up where that island is and man the sky must have been pretty good there!

My dad and I are going to the Sierra Nevada this summer to climb Mt. Whitney and I think I might be looking forward the night sky about as much as anything else on the trip. I had seen the night sky out camping once on a trip to Wyoming and... oh man it's beautiful.
 
  • #11
Yeah, I can't see the MW from home ( within the inner Sydney, Oz) suburbs either :(
I have to travel at least 30 to 40 km out of town to get to a dark enough sky
To think I grew up in a location where after 10 mins of dark adaption the MW was a wonderful sight across the sky

Dave
 
  • #12
I am lucky to live many thousands of feet above sea level in the northern hemisphere in a place with very, very little light pollution. :)

http://www.photographybydani.net/gallery/nature/cosmic-colours--banff-canada.html
an example of a photograph taken here
 
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  • #14
Nice pics! I love that 2nd link where you can see the reflection of the stars in the water.
 
  • #15
Here is an innovative method of bringing the stars to us who are blinded by the light pollution. Go to this site, download the program, and set in your location. You'll see the Milky Way, planets in real time...plus lots more! It's not as good as reality, but it's a fine substitute.

http://www.stellarium.org/
 
  • #16
Bobbywhy said:
Here is an innovative method of bringing the stars to us who are blinded by the light pollution. Go to this site, download the program, and set in your location. You'll see the Milky Way, planets in real time...plus lots more! It's not as good as reality, but it's a fine substitute.

http://www.stellarium.org/

That's an excellent prog. :). Have been using it for some time and have got a number of friends using it too. It gets a lot of use with the laptop out by the scope.

Dave
 
  • #17
Drakkith said:
Nice pics! I love that 2nd link where you can see the reflection of the stars in the water.

http://hotels.glo-con.com/images/article/259_1.jpg

Here's the same place in the day time. :) For reference, the two images are facing opposite directions. In the day time photo in the bottom/left corner of the image, the lake thins out there. If you stand at the shoreline of it and turn the opposite direction that the photo is facing you'll see a large clump of rocks, that is the rock clump to the right hand side of the night time image with the aurora. I am blessed to live right beside this place. :) Note that the colour of that water is not doctored or altered, it is legitimately that colour. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_flour

EDIT: Sorry for going off topic there, couldn't resist.
 

FAQ: Why Can't I See the Milky Way in the City?

Why is it difficult to see the Milky Way?

The Milky Way is difficult to see for a few reasons. First, light pollution from cities and other sources can make it harder to see stars in general. Secondly, the Milky Way is best seen in areas with very little light pollution, such as rural or remote locations. Finally, the brightness of the moon or other celestial bodies can also make it challenging to see the Milky Way.

Can I see the Milky Way from anywhere on Earth?

No, you cannot see the Milky Way from anywhere on Earth. As mentioned earlier, light pollution and other factors can make it difficult to see the Milky Way. Additionally, the position of the Earth in relation to the Milky Way can also affect visibility. The best places to see the Milky Way are typically in the southern hemisphere or in dark sky reserves.

What time of year is best for viewing the Milky Way?

The best time of year to view the Milky Way is during the summer months in the northern hemisphere and during the winter months in the southern hemisphere. This is because the Earth's position in its orbit around the sun allows for a clearer view of the galactic center of the Milky Way during these times.

Do I need special equipment to see the Milky Way?

Technically, you do not need special equipment to see the Milky Way. However, having a pair of binoculars or a telescope can enhance your viewing experience and allow you to see more detail. You may also want to consider using a star map or star-tracking app to help you locate the Milky Way in the night sky.

Is light pollution the only reason I can't see the Milky Way?

No, light pollution is not the only reason you may not be able to see the Milky Way. As mentioned earlier, the position of the Earth in relation to the Milky Way and the brightness of the moon can also affect visibility. Additionally, weather conditions, such as clouds or haze, can also make it difficult to see the Milky Way. It is important to choose a clear and dark location for optimal viewing.

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