The Best Milky Way Photography Locations

We traveled to each location to photograph the Milky Way and the surrounding area to give you the necessary details.

Feature Article: Newest Location—Grand Manan Dark Sky Milky Way Heaven coming next. Grand Manan is a hidden gem, often overlooked in Milky Way photography—BUT WE ARE ABOUT TO PUT IT ON THE MAP! The island is located between one and three on the Bortle scale, indicating that it has some of the darkest skies in the world. Photograph Puffins by day and the Milky Way by night. Stop back shortly to link to the article.

RED POINT ROAD, GRAND MANAN

Grand Manan Lighthouse MilkyWay photography 1 of 1

LONG EDDY POINT LH, GRAND MANAN

SOUTHWEST HEAD LH, GRAN MANAN

The Grand Manan, Canada article will be devoted to a kindred spirit, Genifer, whom I encountered in Grand Manan not just once, but twice—a serendipity, as if it were a celestial whisper from the cosmos itself.

Every so often, you encounter a person whose essence seems to transcend the ordinary. A soul imbued with kindness and love, touching the depths of your own spirit in a way that is both rare and profoundly moving.

Click each location below to see the full article.

CHINCOTEAGUE ISLAND

OCEAN CITY, N.J., MILKY WAY

EAST POINT LIGHTHOUSE

Barnegat Light Photography Hot Spot Milky Way

BARNEGAT LIGHT, N.J.

Avalon and Sea Isle City Milky Way with aliens and a boat.

AVALON BEACH, N.J.

Judges Shack, then. alien reaching for the Milky Way.

ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK

SEA ISLE CITY, N.J.

Astronomy observation field sign with the bubbles that you do photography in.

CHERRY SPRINGS STATE PARK

WHERE TO PHOTOGRAPH THE MILKY WAY, USA

Here are some of the best places in the USA to photograph the Milky Way. We travel to some of the darkest sky locations in the country to bring you first hand details.

We do all our photography and writing ourselves, avoiding AI except for some edits. Please support us in preserving genuine art.

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Castle Ghost Hunt. Photography Magazine Extra hunts apparitions whilst finding orbs and entities around the haunted castle.

CATSKILLS N.Y. MILKY WAY

OLD ORCHARD BEACH, MAINE

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

BASS HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

HOLGATE, N.J.

alien with torch at tuckerton New Jersey in front of the water with a torch in the sky.

TUCKERTON N.J.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN N.P.

MAINE COAST

An article about photographing lighthouses along the coast.

ROSCOE NY

(We went back, and the car was gone!)

PAMELA GOODYER AT PEMAQUID POINT, MAINE

SEDONA, ARIZONA

DUNDAS CASTLE, N.Y.

GHOST HUNTING & MILKY WAY

MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY SPOTS NEAR ME

Have you ever looked up at the night sky and been awestruck by the sight of the Milky Way? If so, you’re not alone – this magnificent spiral galaxy has inspired artists and photographers for centuries.

The starting point of Milky Way photography is finding the right location in dark sky areas and going during the months when the Milky Way is visible. Before starting, read our Dark Sky Information page, review the When to Go, and look at the Dark Sky map. Dark Sky Photography Resources.

We will be adding many more Milky Way locations as we travel.

SEND US YOUR SPOTS!

Do you have incredible Milky Way shots and fantastic locations? Would you like us to share with the world? Send us an image and description, and we will put your photo here with your credits. We never use anyone’s pictures for anything other than displaying them here with full credits.

At my own expense, I offer all of this to you: a humble tribute to Mother Gaia. I hope that you will spread my art and message to others, uplifting and inspiring their souls.

May my works guide photographers illuminating their path toward creating dynamic and impactful images that show the raw beauty and essence of life in all its transcendent glory. —Pamela Goodyer

HOW TO SHOOT MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY PAGE

Shooting the Milky Way requires certain things to know before you go.

WHERE TO DO MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY

If you want to photograph the Milky Way, there are a few things you need to consider. You will need a location away from city lights. A clear sky with no moon in sight is ideal.

There are several ways to find a suitable location. You can use a light pollution map to find an area away from city lights. You can also look at the night sky for darker areas or check for national parks or wildland areas with dark skies. See more on locations below.

Once you have found a good location and selected your night, choose a subject against the Milky Way. Anything will work, but some subjects are better than others. Landscape photos with mountains, trees, balanced rocks, or unique rock formations work well.

When you have decided on your location and subject, the next step is to check the weather forecast. You want a clear sky with no clouds or rain. The night should also be calm, with little or no wind. If possible, look for nights when no moon is in the sky, giving you an even darker sky.

PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR FOR MILKY WAY

One of the most essential things for this type of photography is a DSLR camera with a full-frame sensor. This will give you the best image quality and low-light performance. You will also need a fast lens with an aperture of f/2.8 or wider. A wide-angle lens is also essential for capturing as much of the night sky as possible. Finally, you will need a tripod to keep your camera steady during long exposures.

Other helpful gear includes a remote shutter release (although today, cameras have a 2-second timer), an intervalometer, and noise reduction software. A remote shutter release or setting your 2-second timer allows you to take long exposures without touching your camera, which can cause camera shake. An intervalometer automatically lets you take a series of exposures, which helps create time-lapse videos or star-trail photographs. Noise reduction software can help reduce the amount of digital noise in your photos, giving you cleaner, sharper images. See more below.

POPULAR DARK SKY LOCATIONS

Some other popular locations include national parks, deserts, and mountaintops. Death Valley National Park in California is an excellent option because it has dark skies and an open horizon. The same can be said for Great Basin National Park in Nevada.

WELL-KNOWN NIGHT SKY PHOTOGRAPHY LOCATIONS

1. Death Valley National Park, California
2. Great Basin National Park, Nevada
3. Glacier National Park, Montana
4. Acadia National Park, Maine
5. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
6. Big Bend National Park, Texas
7. Joshua Tree National Park, California
8. Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio
9. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

CHECK OUT OUR WHERE TO DO MW PHOTOGRAPHY IN N.J. PAGE