Tree and Milky Way

We recently had a 'new moon' on July 5th, providing great conditions for viewing and photographing the night sky, including our beloved Milky Way. Summer is the best time for viewing the Milky Way for two reasons; first, the galactic center is only visible from March to October and second, temperatures are comfortable enough to stay out late during the summer months. Light pollution can make it difficult to view the Milky Way but you can often find a viewing site within a few hours of your hometown. The lightpollutionmap.info is a great resource to locate a dark sky near you. Summer isn't over. Get out there and enjoy some stars!