Where is the Milky Way exactly in the sky? Can you look directly at it with the naked eye? When and where can I see it?

Because the earth is constantly turning, the position of the Milky Way in the sky changes with time and place.

In theory, as long as the line of sight is not blocked, the Milky Way can be seen everywhere, because the focus of watching the Milky Way is not the location, but the light conditions. Generally speaking, it is difficult to see the Milky Way in places with heavy light pollution. Moreover, the Milky Way galaxy directly seen by the naked eye will not be as colorful as the pictures on the Internet. Most of the pictures on the Internet are renderings or processed after a long exposure.

The only way to appreciate the beautiful Milky Way is to stay away from the city lights and go to some places with less light pollution and good air quality, such as urban suburbs, rural areas, mountainous areas, plateau deserts and other places. It is best to observe the night sky carefully on a clear night after your eyes get used to the darkness. It is not difficult to find what looks like a long flocculent cloud, and that is where the Milky Way is. As shown in the figure below:

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Techniques for shooting the Milky Way:

1. Due to the distance factor, the light emitted by the star is very weak and easily overlaps with other light sources. So shooting the Milky Way must be in the darkest environment.

2. The weather is very important. Only on a clear and cloudless night will the "appearance" of the Milky Way be clearly visible, such as under the starry night sky.

The camera doesn't need to be expensive, but it is important that it can be adjusted manually. If the lens can be replaced, you can choose a large-caliber lens. Best performance: the focal length is less than 20mm and the aperture number is below f/2.8.

When shooting, you need a tripod to keep the camera still. Otherwise, due to long exposure, you may get a blurred image due to "swinging". In addition, make sure that the battery of the camera has enough power. Especially in cold nights, the battery discharges very quickly, so take a spare battery just in case.

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