Milky Way Planner

What it does

Calculates the galactic core's (the Milky Way's brightest, most photogenic region) position in the sky for any date, time and location, checks whether the sun is far enough below the horizon for true astronomical darkness, and flags whether the moon is likely to wash out the sky at that moment.

What you'll need

• Your location — either tap “Use my location” or enter latitude/longitude manually.
• The date and time you're planning to shoot.

Steps

1. Set your location.
2. Pick a date and time — defaults to now.
3. Read the verdict, plus the core's azimuth/elevation, sun elevation and moon illumination behind it.

Reading the result

The core needs to be above the horizon (positive elevation) and the sky needs to be astronomically dark (sun below -18° elevation) for a clean shot. A bright, risen moon on top of both conditions still being met will wash out fainter detail even with the core up and the sky technically dark.

Tips

• Higher core elevation generally means a cleaner shot — low on the horizon, the core sits behind more atmosphere, which softens and dims it.
• Check the Sunrise & Sunset Calculator alongside this to find the actual astronomical-darkness window for your date before committing to a shoot time.

What is the galactic core, and when is it visible?

The galactic core is the dense, bright centre of the Milky Way galaxy — the region most astrophotographers mean when they talk about “shooting the Milky Way.” Like any fixed point in the sky, its visibility depends on your location, the date, and the time of night, since Earth's rotation and orbit both shift what's above your horizon. From the Northern Hemisphere, it's generally visible in the pre-dawn to late-night sky roughly from spring through autumn, with the strongest, highest-in-the-sky views typically around the summer months. From the Southern Hemisphere, it climbs much higher overhead and is visible for a longer stretch of the year.

Why photographers use it

Unlike the sun or moon, the galactic core is only usably photographable during a specific, predictable slice of the year and night — outside that window, it's either below the horizon entirely or too low to clear haze and light pollution near the horizon. Knowing exactly when it'll be well-placed and the sky genuinely dark saves a wasted trip to a remote dark-sky location on a night when the core simply isn't up yet, or isn't up until the middle of the day.

Common mistakes

• Showing up at a dark-sky site without checking core visibility first. the core isn't visible year-round from every location — in parts of the year it's below the horizon all night, or only rises shortly before sunrise when the sky is already brightening.
• Ignoring the moon entirely. a bright, risen moon can wash out the same faint detail a light-polluted city sky would — check moon illumination and whether it's above the horizon at your planned shoot time, not just whether the core itself is up.
• Shooting as soon as the sun sets. civil and nautical twilight still brighten the sky noticeably. True astronomical darkness — needed for the core's faint detail to show — doesn't begin until the sun drops below -18° elevation, which can be over an hour after sunset depending on latitude and season.

Example settings

FAQ

Why does the core's visibility change so much by season?

Earth's position in its orbit determines which part of the sky faces away from the sun at night. The galactic core is only in that night-facing direction for part of the year — the rest of the time it's up during daylight hours, when it can't be photographed at all.

What counts as "dark enough" for Milky Way photography?

Astronomical darkness — when the sun is more than 18° below the horizon. Before that (civil and nautical twilight), residual sky glow from the sun still washes out the core's fainter detail even though it looks fully dark to the naked eye.

Does this account for light pollution from nearby cities?

No — it only calculates astronomical darkness (how far below the horizon the sun is) and the core/moon's positions. Local light pollution is a separate factor; pick a genuinely dark-sky location regardless of what this tool shows.

Is my location sent anywhere?

No — everything is computed entirely in your browser.