UK posters (in pursuit of the Milky Way)?

[martiandictator]

Is it actually possible to see the Milky Way in the UK except from the few and far between Dark Spots such as Wales and Galloway etc? Should I expect to see it in good conditions as long as I'm in a reasonably dark location away from major sources of light pollution?

Would I be wasting my time if I took a pre-dawn walk to a dark area away from the bright lights of my town (around 4am) and attempt to view the Milky Way over the Southern Horizon (which suffers very little light pollution around my parts)?

I've taken a few midnight walks to the country and while I can see hundreds of stars, there appears to be too much light pollution in the North and East to see something as faint as the Milky Way.

Are there any posters from the UK who have seen the Milky Way in unlikely locations?

[acey]

If you can see stars down to about magnitude 5 (e.g. all the main stars of Ursa Minor) then you have a chance of seeing the Milky Way. Personally I find I need a limiting magnitude more like 5.5 in order to see it. At that sort of limit you should be able to see about 7 stars inside the Square of Pegasus. The brightest part of the Milky Way (as seen from UK) is the part running from Cassiopeia through Cygnus and down through Delphinus. The "winter" Milky Way (which runs through Auriga and Canis Major) is rather fainter.

If there is a lot of light pollution then the sky will look black, but that's only because the glare is preventing your eyes from adapting properly. The lack of stars is an indication that the sky is actually quite bright (maybe as bright as twilight at a country site). So checking your limiting magnitude is a better way of judging how dark your sky really is.

Another test is the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) and Double Cluster in Perseus. These are both brighter than most parts of ther Milky Way, so if they are not naked-eye objects (assuming they're well enough placed in the sky) then you are unlikely to see the Milky Way itself.

[ronin]

Depends on how well you want to see it.

The Milky way can be seen to an extent from the outskirts of most towns, basically find Casseiopia and it is the light band behind it.

If you want to see it well and make out the dust lanes then you need somewhere dark.

There is every step between the two conditions.

You do not need complete dark to have a good view, a few miles outside Cambridge is a small reserve I visit and the milky way is easily visible. There is a layby on one of the main roads out of Cambridge that it can be easily made out from. What both do not have is light pollution high up.

If you want to be gobsmacked and have a permanent crick in your neck you need a dark site (Exmoor, Dartmoor etc). Somewhere where you literally cannot see where you are putting your foot, then look up, and don't fall over.

[martiandictator]

Is this the Milky Way? I took this photo around 9:30 yesterday evening but I can't tell whether the band was just cloud, haze, or the Milky Way? I've only seen the Milky Way once whilst in India and it was spectacular but have no idea how it looks from the UK. Is the photo is posted the most I can expect to see from an out of town dark spot or can I expect a better sight at the right time with the right conditions? Basically is it worth getting up at 3am and walking into the country for?

[Steep]

I saw it properly for the first time not long ago, away from city lights it's well defined and I found myself thinking "why have I never spotted that before?" The name Milky Way is perfect to describe it, like a milky band running down to the horizon.

Check the picture in this blog entry http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2012/11/22/astrophotographer_takes_stunning_picture_of_the_milky_way_from_a_volcano.html

martiandictator I think that's glare from ground lights.

[JamesM]

At the time of this posting, the Milky Way can be seen due south rising up from the horizon through Puppis (bottom left of Orion) and up through Cassiopeia and down through Cygnus which now is just dipping below the horizon in the north. Its is a distinctive band that you can't miss but admittedly light pollution does spectacularly wash out this incredible spectacle - you'll know when you see it!

Clear skies

James

[KeithB]

I could see it clearly on Thursday evening when I came home to find the neighbourhood had been plunged into darkness by a power cut. I was possibly the only person in the area who was quite happy for the engineers to take their time.

Is it wrong to wish this happened more often?

[Daniel-K]

i live on the edge of liverpool i can see the milky way when the clarity is good, m31 is naked eye and so is the doubble cluster, i have VLM of 5.5

[martiandictator]

i live on the edge of liverpool i can see the milky way when the clarity is good, m31 is naked eye and so is the doubble cluster, i have VLM of 5.5

That's amazing. I'm guessing I'm just going to have to try harder a bit harder to spot it. The skies are relatively dark here but it's knowing where to look. Thankfully I now have Stellarium installed on my phone and my compass will be coming out with me next time we get some clear skies to I should be a lot more prepared.

[Naemeth]

I could see it clearly on Thursday evening when I came home to find the neighbourhood had been plunged into darkness by a power cut. I was possibly the only person in the area who was quite happy for the engineers to take their time.

Is it wrong to wish this happened more often?

Did you rush out with the scope or binoculars?

[Daniel-K]

letting your eyes adjust is always a good idea when we see it here its a hazy band but clearly visible

[DaveS]

*sigh*

There was a time, when I was much younger, when all the main stars of Ursa Minor and the Milky Way were visible from here on a very good night (I've lived here all my life). Not any more, and not for at least two decades now.

Sometimes makes me wonder why I bother.

[dick_dangerous]

I used to see the Milky Way most clear nights from my parent's garden on the edge of the New Forest, and it's not an especially dark area. There's loads of glow from Southampton, Salisbury and Bournemouth. We did once see the Aurora from the Forest in about 1989. You don't get those big galactic star clouds in the centre from the UK - it wasn't until I stood at the bottom of Colca Canyon in Peru that I got to see them!

DD

[martiandictator]

I had a great view of the Milky Way while I was in the Himalaya's. However, I only saw it once, but it was phenomenal first time. Most nights I was too tired to brave the minus 20c temperatures, and when I did it was either too hazy, or the moon was out. If I could go back now, I'd definitely spend more time just looking at the stars. Curse this British weather, wanted to give M31 a go tonight, but it's cloudy as per usual and when it decides to clear we'll probably have a full moon. I've not even got my telescope yet and already I'm finding this astronomy lark frustrating haha!

[KeithB]

Did you rush out with the scope or binoculars?

The scope was out in minutes, only to go away when my better half arrived home with fish and chips from somewhere that still had power. (After at least an hour of glorious observing)