Viewing our galaxy from Earth is one of the most mesmerizing experiences, but where can you see the Milky Way?
Whether your aim is to capture the magnificent expanse known as the Milky Way Galaxy or simply wish to appreciate its splendor, finding the optimum locations to visualize this phenomenon of the night sky is key.
In doing so, consider two crucial factors: the optimal time to view the Milky Way and the favored areas allowing views of the Milky Way away from light pollution and preferably at high elevations.
Below, you’ll find a listing of the best places on Earth to see the Milky Way at night. Also, if you’re wondering: where can I see the Milky Way tonight? Don’t worry, I’ll also provide the top tools and tips to find the best places to see the Milky Way near you.
In summary, these represent the top 10 places to see the Milky Way:
- Arches, United States
- Banff, Canada
- La Palma, Spain
- The Dolomites, Italy
- The Sahara desert, Tunisia
- Mount Bromo, Indonesia
- Namib Desert, Namibia
- Atacama Desert, Chile
- Wollemi, Australia
- Tasman Glacier, New Zealand
After this, I’ll also provide information about identifying the prime locations for viewing the Milky Way!
Table of Contents
1. Arches National Park, USA
Arches National Park is considered one of the prime locations within the United States to observe the celestial band of stars known as the Milky Way.
Situated in Utah on the high Colorado Plateau, this landscape offers two key factors for seeing the Milky Way – its distance from major light sources and very high elevation (over 5,000 feet).
The rock structures at Arches make you feel as if you`ve traveled to another world at night, and for numerous reasons, in my opinion this is the best area in the US to photograph the Milky Way.
The prime locales to photograph the Milky Way in Arches NP are Delicate Arch, Turret Arch, and Balanced Rock.
2. Banff, Canada
Banff National Park is, undoubtedly, one of the prime locales in Canada for observing the Milky Way.
Situated in the Canadian Rockies, this expansive area, formed by other National Parks like Kootenay and Jasper, offers some of the best spots where you can see the Milky Way in North America.
The only source of light pollution to take into account is the town of Banff, but this is surrounded by mountains, so as long as you leave town, you can enjoy amazing views of our galaxy.
The preferred spots to photograph the Milky Way in Banff are around the Icefields Parkway, where you can find areas entirely distant from artificial light at elevations above 6,000 ft.
3. La Palma, spain
La Palma is part of the Spanish Canary Islands, and it’s one of the best locations to see and photograph the Milky Way on our planet.
Researchers from everywhere throughout the world travel to La Palma for comparable reasons. The streetlights are intentionally configured to stay away from light contamination, and generally of the inland tops are found at a height surpassing 5,000 ft.
The prime location to photograph the Milky Way in La Palma is the “Roque de los Muchachos”. This is the highest peak on La Palma island where one can see the Milky Way above the clouds at an elevation of almost 8,000 ft. Here you can also find one of the most significant observatories worldwide: the “ Roque de los Muchachos observatory.“
4. The Dolomites, ITaly
This ancient land mass is one of the areas on earth most impacted by light pollution, so there aren’t many prime locations for observing the stars or astrophotography. However, there are still places, like the Dolomites, where you can appreciate dark skies and see the Milky Way and galactic center.
With just a few small villages and some peaks as high as 10,000 ft, the entire Dolomite mountain range is considered the best place to see the Milky Way on the European continent.
The most suitable places to photograph the Milky Way in the Dolomites are around the “Tre Cime di Lavaredo”, “Cinque Torri”, and “Monte Pelmo”.
5. The Sahara desert, Tunisia
The desert is among the best locations worldwide to view the Milky Way. Most deserts have sparse populations and isolation, permitting quietness and certain of the darkest skies.
There are many superb deserts to view the Milky Way, but not many are as spectacular as the Sahara Desert. This immense desert has low population and is far from large centers of light contamination, and it’s widely recognized as one of the premier places on Earth to see the Milky Way.
The Milky Way can be seen in many areas, but one excellent and accessible option is the Tunisian Sahara Desert.
6. Mount Bromo, indonesia
Moisture and artificial light that obscures celestial observations are prominent in several areas of Asia, although the continent is also home to select locations that permit optimal views of the Milky Way after dark.
Indonesia has some of the most remote (and yet accessible) places to view our galaxy, and it’s regarded as the best place to see the Milky Way in Asia.
An incredible location where visitors can photograph the Milky Way in Asia is Mount Bromo on the island of Java. This setting features an area of dynamic volcanoes over 7,500 feet where observers can see an otherworldly vista of the Milky Way against explosions of ash and smoke billowing from volcanoes in the background scene.
7. namib desert, Namibia
Speaking again about deserts, Namibia has the oldest desert on our planet and some of the clearest night skies away from light contamination, making it the prime location to see the Milky Way in Africa.
It’s becoming a more accessible and popular location for astrophotography in recent years, not only for the dim skies but also for the extended Milky Way season that you can experience at this latitude.
One of the top places to witness the Milky Way here is the Namib desert, where you can capture photographs of the Milky Way alongside gigantic sand hills, natural arches, and centuries-old dead trees.
8. Atacama Desert, chile
The Atacama Desert is not only the prime location to see the Milky Way in North and South America, but in fact the entire Southern Hemisphere has the best visibility opportunities.
The environmental circumstances in this desert terrain possess some exceptional qualities. It has the designation as the driest nonpolar desert globally with on average 330 evenings throughout the year clear of cloud coverage. This likewise makes all forms of life nearly nonexistent, resulting in night skies free of artificial light contamination. Moreover, it is situated on a elevated plateau reaching an elevation of almost 8,000 feet.
All this generates an observatory haven with notable scientific institutions like “ALMA”,“SPACE”, or “ Cerro Tololo”.
As shown, the Chilean Atacama desert is the best area to see the Milky Way in the Southern Hemisphere for clear reasons.
9. Wollemi, Australia
Hiking season in the North Cascades is incredibly short, only lasting for a couple blissful months in the summer and early fall before the park becomes dormant again.
The Australian outback is renowned for its night skies, however, it’s not as readily accessible as other areas of the country.
One of the ideal places to observe the Milky Way in Australia is Wollemi National Park, the wildest region in New South Wales. This park is in the Australian blue mountains, which are on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Wollemi is renowned for clear skies and minimal light pollution, making it one of the preferred locations for Australian photographers to photograph the Milky Way.
10. Tasman Glacier, New Zealand
Traveling further southward, the islands of New Zealand contain some of the premier sights of the Milky Way in Oceania for astrophotography.
Specifically, the South Island of New Zealand has a very low population density and features fjords, mountains, and scenery that make it perfect for viewing the Milky Way at night.
One of the best places to capture images of the Milky Way in New Zealand is the Tasman Glacier, the largest glacier flowing from the Southern Alps.
This scenic area is readily accessible and, even with the glacier pulling back, there is good news as extraordinarily dark night skies can still be experienced at high elevations in this intriguing place.
For those interested in advancing their photography skills while traveling to premier Milky Way viewing destinations worldwide, I suggest exploring our !
Where can you see the Milky Way galaxy?
Speaking of local places where one can view our galaxy, you may be wondering… Where can I see the Milky Way near me?
As we’ve seen throughout this article, viewing the Milky Way is best when further from light pollution. However, sometimes traveling far isn`t possible, so it`s important to explore the optimal local areas to observe the Milly Way despite light pollution.
There are two approaches to assess the light air contamination of a specific area:
Light Pollution map
The most commonly used map to determine where you can view the Milky Way is a light pollution map.
Using a light pollution map allows you to quickly see the night sky`s brightness at a particular location and verify whether seeing the Milky Way is visible or not.
All light pollution maps are quite straightforward; you can see in different colors the light pollution level:
- Dark/navy: Best areas to view the Milky way
- Green: The Milky Way can be seen, but it is fainter and with less detail.
- Yellow/orange: The Milky Way is faint and barely discernible
- Red: The Milky Way is totally invisible
You can utilize distinct light pollution maps. This is my favorite since it also demonstrates the altitude, another key factor in determining where you can see the Milky Way.
The Bortle scale
This rating system employs a nine-tier scale to assess the visibility of the night sky at a specific location. Using it, you can check the Bortle level (also called the “class”) where you are to get an idea of which astronomical objects you may observe.
The Bortle scale ranges from Class 1 (ideal dark sky location) to Class 9 (inner urban sky). Below you can see The Milky Way visibility determined by the Bortle Class level:
- Categories 1 – 4: You can see an striking Milky Way.
- Class 5 – Class 6: The Milky Way turns out to be weaker.
- Class 7 – Class 9: The Milky Way is nearly or totally invisible.
You can check the Bortle class level at your location on the website Clearoutside.
Other tips to find where you can see the Milky Way
From my personal encounters, I’d also like to add a couple of tips to find the prime places to see and capture the Milky Way:
- Don’t underestimate the elevation. Even in places that might seem affected by light pollution, when you’re at a high elevation, your night sky visibility can be great since you’ll be above the lower areas of the atmosphere that contain the most light pollution. A good example is a village in a mountain valley.
- Check the course of the Milky Way. Even if the spot looks dim on the light pollution map, if the Milky Way is shifting in a direction where there’s a heavily-illuminated area, the perceptibility will be extremely influenced. This is particularly important when planning Milky Way panoramas.
You can check the direction of the Milky Way in different areas worldwide in our article about the prime time to see the Milky Way.
Conclusion
Where you can observe the Milky Way is dependent on one key factor: light pollution. The further you move from heavily-polluted areas, the greater prospects of success you’ll have to see our galaxy. Altitude plays another important role in Milky Way visibility, and the higher you can ascend, the further you can be from low clouds and light pollution.
As we`ve seen in this short article with the best spots to see the Milky Way, there are numerous wonderful areas worldwide to view our galaxy; from hillsides as well as high plateaus to deserts and also uninhabited areas where seeing and also shooting the Milky Way is still feasible.
If your aim in discovering the highest quality destinations to view the Milky Way near you is to capture images of our galaxy, I highly suggest examining my Milky Way photography guide and our 2024 Milky Way calendars where you’ll find, at a glance, the most ideal days to see it in your location.
Wishing you fruitful pictures and clear observation conditions!
P.S. You can check more unbelievable places to see the Milky Way on the map furnished by the International Dark-Sky Association.
