When was the first time you saw the Milky Way?

[MishMich]

Apologies to those who grow up with it, and those who don't get to see it.

The first time I remeber seeing the Milky Way was in my mid-teens. I was London-born and bred. I was doing night exercises at an Army base in Nottinghamshire, and we had to wait in the dark while two people went off to do whatever was the point of our being there. After about half an hour, I rolled onto my back (I'm sure that wasn't correct, as we were supposed to be looking out for something), and I was amazed. There was this white band across a crystal clear dark sky. I must have just lay there looking at it for an hour.

Didn't see it again for many years, and have never seen it as clear as that since.

M.

[yeti monster]

I have, as yet, never knowingly seen the Milky Way. Of course I have seen constituent stars and constellations, but I have never seen this legendary swathe of stars. I am learning where it is, and as such can now envisage its presence but untill I get a really dark sky (preferably in Australia) I shall just have to pretend that I can see it...........

[dark knight]

I was born in 1965, seeing the Milky Way was never a problem back then....

[MishMich]

I guess that was nearly 40 years ago, and things are different now. What about the Lake District, or the North York Moors?

M.

[dark knight]

Come to the Salisbury Star Party, you will see it there weather permitting of course...

[arad85]

First time I can remeber seeing it was in my teens - born in '63, so would have been late 70's maybe early 80's. You could see it in the middle of the town I lived in. I can just see it from my back garden now - some nights it is quite strong too, although I don't really get to make out the dust lanes even with full dark adaptation. I feel quite lucky, on good nights my limiting mag is ~5.5 - I can see all the starts in Ursa Minor from my back garden - always the classic test....

[Jupiter Martin]

on my summer holidays each year as a child in a place called Kildarragh in Donegal Ireland thats back in the 60's the only other times I can remember was back in the late 80's on a camp site around the Wye Valley

[LukeSkywatcher]

I've never seen the MW as such. Just the stars and constellations in it but never the arc of light stretching across the sky.

[MishMich]

Come to the Salisbury Star Party, you will see it there weather permitting of course...

Just had a look at the 2009 shots - there's somebody I've met in there! And some people look at least as old as me! Hmmmm. Maybe - don't usually socialise myself. Not in this country, anyway. Any idea of dates this year?

M.

[crepitis]

I was born in 1964 and we used to go camping in Argyll on a regular basis, so I got to see it loads of times, the dark skies on those trips fired my interest in Astronomy.

I last saw it , in its full glory, about 5 years ago while working on the island of Tiree one weekend.

[jgs001]

I first saw it when I was a boy... But I've seen it plenty (probably 50% of clear nights around here), especially post midnight, as 90% of the street lights get turned off... I've had one very special night last year when it was so clear that the band of the milky way was amazing (it was the night I saw M33 and M44 unaided), only the once though...

[themos]

I had the best view of it from St Bernards' Pass at 2,469 m in the Alps. I could see structure in it.

[brantuk]

First saw it about 3yrs ago when I first started the hobby and got curious about whats up there. It's visible from a large communal green just 5 mins walk up the road. Needs a clear night though and best seen when Cas is bang on the zenith in the middle of it all.

Bit miffed that the missus can see it from the end of our drive though - her eyes are worse than mine if you look at her specs (mine are just readers) but it obviously doesn't apply looking out through the edge of our galaxy into space - wierd thought!

[kev 102 42]

last time i saw it was last year from a cottage near Salisbury,i was very ill at the time and had my bed moved into the observatory LoL Conservertory it was, just led there amazing,before that was in Breckon with Helen and physco Billy that was pretty special as well............kev

cant remember when i first saw it probly when i was a kid in the back garden still see it now and again from the garden.

[phattanglo]

Can't recall as a kid so one and only time really was in the Herculean mountains Romania absolutely amazing.

[simon84]

I saw one a minute ago, I sneaked it out of my kids choccy box whilst they were at school. Bad Dad.

As for the real thing, I sometimes go for a walk to the top of the hill near me on a clear night and swear that I can see it, but its one of those did I, didnt I moments?

Last proper time I knew I had seen it was a boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads back when I was 14, we moored up to a tree in the middle of no where and it was deffinitley there that time. It was so dark.

[lynnm]

10 years ago when i lived in Sydney for a copuple of years with the wife, we went to stay at a beach house that was owned by someone i new at work, ( typical sullivans style and era, if you remeber that program) we stayed there 2 nights and was astounded by the stars and the milky way.. no town or lights for miles. i sight i will never forget...

the place was KIOLOA south of sydney in the middle of nowhere beach..

mike

[Talitha]

Seeing the Milky Way wasn't an option in Chicago where i was born and raised, but my Great Uncle had a farm up here in Wisconsin where we'd spend our vacation every few years... it's about an hour east of where i now live. So i was probably 4 or 5 years old the first time i saw the Milky Way but even at that young age, i was absolutely stunned by the beauty of it.

[Beulah]

Ahhh.

Well in answer to your question Mishmich, I first saw the Milky Way when I was seven years old...I remember we returned late from visiting relatives - kids don't really get out under dark skies often because of early bedtimes etc. (except mine, the only late night they'll get is when they are out with me observing, how's that for bribery, LOL)

When I looked up, I saw a huge swathe of misty starclouds across the sky and my Dad told me that was the Milky Way....

It's been nearly 25 year since I cast my eyes heavenwards again, after being programmed not to look at the putrid orange skies of suburbia out of sheer habit...and after seeing the Milky Way again, could not ignore the desire to return to stargazing again.

On further thought, I wonder if kids ought to be allowed to experience a dark, starlit sky? The impression of such beauty seen would surely make a huge impression, creating a generation of people who appreciate a natural sky. Thinking of it now, it breaks my heart to think a huge percentage of English kids have never seen a truly dark sky, and think that orange glow is the best it's going to get.

[isuman]

Growing up a stones throw from the Lincolnshire coast the Milky Way was very much an old friend to me in 60s and 70s. As I grew older and the night sky dimmer the naked eye treasures of Cassiopeia and the blamy summer nights exploring the joys Cygnus were lost to me.

During the summer of 2008 I relived those halcyon days renting a cottage in North Wales. Spending the late night watching Cygnus rise and saying hello to many long lost naked eye friends.

Perhaps one day when the authorites get a grip of the excessive amount of light wastefully thrown into the sky those treasures will be back for all of us.

[dobserver]

My grandparents lived in a tiny hamlet in Dorset and we'd go and stay for a week every summer. The skies were so dark - it was truly amazing - back in the day before new housing estates with their resident street lights, and the curse of security lights. I remember I was about 17 and my Dad took me to the village pub there for a pint, and walking back I have never experienced such pitch-dark!! I never knew there were so many stars, and the milky way shone like a river of light across the sky. Although my Dad has never owned a telescope he is very knowledgeable about the constellations and it was brilliant having my own personal guided tour of the night sky on the way home We got back with a few bruises and muddy feet because we were a) looking up the whole time, couldn't see where we were going anyway and c) had stayed in the pub long enough to make navigation more challenging under the best of circumstances.

Thanks for this thread - I had forgotten all about that night.....

I don't think anyone else answered your question about the dates for Salisbury, the provisional dates are 9th to 15th August.

[callisto]

It was in the summer of 1985, i was 14 years old and i was on holiday in cornwall, me and my dad were night fishing near lizard point.

I first thought it was smoke but my dad said it was the milky way, never forget that first sight. :icon_eek:

[Vega]

First time I knowingly saw it was the summer of 2005. I've seen it every summer since in the UK.

Matt

[martin_h]

I first saw it in the early 70's, laying on my back night fishing in a village 7 miles from Oxford. Now on the East coast I can't see it at all

[AndyH]

I must have been very young when I saw it. We always went to Arran a few times every year and if clear would see it often. I think the 1st time might have been in Lamlash at Merkland Point.

This new year at Catacol, you just needed to step out the front door of the hotel and there it was. Spectacular !! And without dark adapted eyes.

Cheers,

Andy.