Can someone help me understand.

[Username556]

I’ve been trying to get google results for a little while but no clear ones came up, but I’m one of the very lucky few Americans that can see the Milky Way from their backyard and I was wondering when or if I ever get to see this part? I’m in New York , I’ve been at my new house for a couple of months but haven’t seen this part of it and does it actually look like that? 

[Stu]

That is the constellation Scorpius, and unfortunately you are a bit late in the year to see it. You need to catch it in late July or August really when it is above the horizon as it gets dark. 

These two clips show it in August and now in your location.

 

[Username556]

Thanks for the answer, I’ve been confused on this for a while . Sucks I have to wait that long again to see it like that. Also what app is that? 

[Username556]

7 hours ago, Stu said:

That is the constellation Scorpius, and unfortunately you are a bit late in the year to see it. You need to catch it in late July or August really when it is above the horizon as it gets dark. 

These two clips show it in August and now in your location.

 

 

I think I found it, is it called skysafari?

[dweller25]

Stellarium is a very good free night sky simulator. 

[Stu]

29 minutes ago, Username556 said:

I think I found it, is it called skysafari?

Yes indeed, very good app. I used the iOS screen record just to record a little video of it advancing in hour steps, works quite well.

[Username556]

11 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yes indeed, very good app. I used the iOS screen record just to record a little video of it advancing in hour steps, works quite well.

I actually found it my self and it turns out I can see it tonight since the sun sets early. Sucks the only time I get to see it is March. 

[Username556]

2 minutes ago, Username556 said:

I actually found it my self and it turns out I can see it tonight since the sun sets early. Sucks the only time I get to see it is March. 

Oh dang nvm, looks like June is the best time. 

[Username556]

28 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yes indeed, very good app. I used the iOS screen record just to record a little video of it advancing in hour steps, works quite well.

What does that part actually look like in person? 

[Stu]

12 minutes ago, Username556 said:

Oh dang nvm, looks like June is the best time. 

Yep, as said it’s best late summer. You will struggle tonight.

[Username556]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yep, as said it’s best late summer. You will struggle tonight.

I’ll still try. My road has no street lights and it’s 2 miles away from any town. 

[Username556]

18 minutes ago, Stu said:

Yep, as said it’s best late summer. You will struggle tonight.

Would you say this picture is accurate to what you would see in person? 

[AstroMuni]

On 31/10/2021 at 16:58, Username556 said:

Would you say this picture is accurate to what you would see in person? 

Find out the light pollution at your location using https://www.lightpollutionmap.info. Then in stellarium you can set the bortle level for your location and that should help give an idea of the kind of skies you can see. Its not always very accurate but you atleast get some idea.

I am sure skysafari has similar feature.

[Zermelo]

29 minutes ago, AstroMuni said:

I am sure skysafari has similar feature

Yes, SkySafari won't let you adjust the view for a given Bortle number, but you can enter a limiting magnitude (in the 'plus' and 'pro' versions, anyway). I find it's very useful when trying to match the starfield in my finder - you can adjust the LM on a slider and see the effect immediately.

[Username556]

9 hours ago, AstroMuni said:

Find out the light pollution at your location using https://www.lightpollutionmap.info. Then in stellarium you can set the bortle level for your location and that should help give an idea of the kind of skies you can see. Its not always very accurate but you atleast get some idea.

I am sure skysafari has similar feature.

I went to the spot that’s 5 minutes away from my house and kinda disappointed, looked the same as it always did. The site won’t go to my country when I press enter, but I can instantly spot the Milky Way from my deck. 

[Username556]

9 hours ago, AstroMuni said:

Find out the light pollution at your location using https://www.lightpollutionmap.info. Then in stellarium you can set the bortle level for your location and that should help give an idea of the kind of skies you can see. Its not always very accurate but you atleast get some idea.

I am sure skysafari has similar feature.

And I’m pretty sure I’m bortle 4. 

[Grant93]

On 31/10/2021 at 16:58, Username556 said:

Would you say this picture is accurate to what you would see in person? 

You will never resolve any sort of color whilst looking at the milkyway with your naked eyes, only cameras pick up color. From my experience of a bortle 2, it's very clearly there, and its just like a metallic effect across the sky. So from the picture you posted, imagine slightly less detail, and no color, just a metallic effect, well worth travelling out to see it. I would do it every week if I could. Remember if you ever do travel to a site like that, keep your eyes out for some naked eye DSOs. Double cluster, andromeda etc 😀. The summer core is no longer visible, but the milkyway still travels up through Cygnus and Cassiopeia too.

[Username556]

7 hours ago, Grant93 said:

You will never resolve any sort of color whilst looking at the milkyway with your naked eyes, only cameras pick up color. From my experience of a bortle 2, it's very clearly there, and its just like a metallic effect across the sky. So from the picture you posted, imagine slightly less detail, and no color, just a metallic effect, well worth travelling out to see it. I would do it every week if I could. Remember if you ever do travel to a site like that, keep your eyes out for some naked eye DSOs. Double cluster, andromeda etc 😀. The summer core is no longer visible, but the milkyway still travels up through Cygnus and Cassiopeia too.

So like this? And as I said in the thread I’m in bortle 4 and can see it from any where in my yard. So I don’t need to move at all. 

[Username556]

7 hours ago, Grant93 said:

You will never resolve any sort of color whilst looking at the milkyway with your naked eyes, only cameras pick up color. From my experience of a bortle 2, it's very clearly there, and its just like a metallic effect across the sky. So from the picture you posted, imagine slightly less detail, and no color, just a metallic effect, well worth travelling out to see it. I would do it every week if I could. Remember if you ever do travel to a site like that, keep your eyes out for some naked eye DSOs. Double cluster, andromeda etc 😀. The summer core is no longer visible, but the milkyway still travels up through Cygnus and Cassiopeia too.

The only bad part about our property is that there are a lot of trees so you can’t see the whole view of the night sky 

[Carbon Brush]

You are very fortunate to have low light pollution.

Significant areas of the US suffer badly, as does much of europe and the UK.

I know (non astro) people who have never seen the Orion nebula, let alone the milky way.