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milky way with naked eye?


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Hi Everyone,

Hope everyone is doing good.

Im just wondering i recently went to tenerife and went up mount teide at night and was amazed by just how much you can silly in a truly dark sky! However i could not see the clouds of the milky way which would be like a dream to me. Is it actualy possible with the naked eye or only through taking pictures etc which let more light in?

Any help be great.

Thanks

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Tom - Presently the Milky Way arcs across the low western sky and I would think you would have been able to see it without any optical aid. Perhaps there was some haze in that part of the sky or some light pollution that obscured it.

In reasonably dark skies, it is visible to the naked eye and is most impressive during the summer months, when it arcs across the sky nearly overhead. Generally, if you can see the stars of Ursa Major (the Big Dipper), you should be able to see the MW. In very dark sky, I have seen it so bright that its light casted faint shadows on the ground from my legs.

It's truely a splended sight to behold, especially when viewed with binoculars. So keep trying - it's worth the effort in the end.

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The Milky Way is an easy naked eye sight at any truly dark location - though as Mr Q has said, spring is not the most convenient time to see it (summer is).

I would however take issue with the claim that if you can see the Big Dipper then the Milky Way should be visible. I think perhaps what was meant was the main stars of Ursa Minor, though my own experience is that even when I can see all of them, I may not manage the Milky Way. I find that if the limiting magnitude is about 5.5 or better then I can see it: other observers with different eyesight and viewing locations may differ. For me, the naked eye view is always most impressive.

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Hi Tom, depends what you mean by clouds. If you mean can you see the band of the Milky-Way as it crosses the sky the answer is yes. Indeed certain parts of it, from a dark site and after your eyes become more sensitive after being in the dark for some time, do appear cloud like (through Cygnus both light and dark nebulosity can be seen with the naked eye). However, if you are looking to see what is shown in long exposure photographs then you will be disappointed. Your eyes are not that sensitive and at night unable to render colour views. If you have a DSLR camera and a tripod it is easy enough to take a photo to enhance your views of the night-sky. I'm a real beginner but I have been able to take basic photos of star-fields etc. Have a go! best regards George

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Hi Tom

I live west of London around the M40/M25 and there were a couple of nights in January where you could make out the Milky Way near enough overhead. So don't worry it should be possible from where you are, you just need the right conditions.

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I have seen the misty regions of the Milky Way with the naked eye 12 miles out of Swindon (Avebury).

I come from nearby and the Milky Way is clear.

At Kielder you can see the Milky Way shine through thin clou

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A couple of years ago at Kelling Heath, you could easily make out the milky way and even the Cygnus Rift (a cloud of dust divides the Milky Way in two) was also very clearly visible - very memorable!

james

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