Anyone seen the Milky Way lately?

[MossRoad]

As a kid, I remember many nights playing outdoors with my friends well into darkness. That time of night after sunset when the sky goes from orange to deep blue to black as the stars come out is one of my most favorite memories. Before you knew it, all the stars were out and the Milky Way was just incredible. Due to where we live, the growing population, the light pollution from the cities, etc... I haven't seen the Milky Way for close to 20 years. I realized that my kids had never seen it either. Every family vacation we have ever taken over the years that took us through dark areas where we could have seen it have always been overcast on those nights. And that has been bugging me for many years. Last Friday, however, we went to get my oldest from college for the weekend. On the way home traveling through northern Indiana, while far between towns, the sun had set, the orange had faded, the deep blue was turning to black and I pulled off the highway onto some small country road and drove a couple miles into the corn. I stopped the car, turned off the lights, had the wife and kids get out, look up and there it was, just as I remembered it. The kids were quite impressed. Words can't describe it. If you have kids that have never seen it, or if you have never seen it, please, take the time and make a point of getting out there. Its one of those things that everyone should see. It kind of puts you in your place.

 

[k0ua]

Haven't seen it in quite a while.. Here in Branson, the light pollution is quite intense with the 76 strip just a few miles away and the large amount of outdoor advertising. I imagine the folks in North Korea can see it very well

James K0UA

 

[jinman]

When my grandkids come to visit, they are always in awe on a clear night when the Milky Way is spectacular. Just last night I commented to my wife about how clear the sky was and how visible the stars were out of our open window. I don't know how much longer we'll have a dark sky, but it sure puts on a show for us.

 

[Daver1963]

I'm surprised the government hasn't claimed ownership and had the NPS barricade it off during the shutdown!
In all seriousness, I grew up in the country and at the time we didn't even have security lights as we didn't need them. I remember laying outside and watching the shooting stars. At times it was better than any fireworks show.
Then I spent 8 years running around the world (actually just Europe) in the military and such and living in the big city for 17 years and saw a star or two, but never the darkness needed to just gaze. I've been back in the country since the end of May and if I'm outside after dark I'll spend the time to look up and check it out!

 

[Raspy]

I never get tired of taking the dog out and spending a few minutes looking at the Milky Way and maybe Venus or a distant plane. Quiet and still with just a coyote in the distance.

The Kau Desert, on the slopes of the Big Island, is another great place to stop and look. Warm carefree nights in beautiful Hawaii. A sky full of wonder.

Out at sea I remember seeing it from horizon to horizon on the long night watches where my eyes had hours to adjust. We were sailing south on my Ketch and every night the view gradually changed. It was early in the adventure, the weather gradually warmed and the boat frolicked in the swells. Then we began to see the Southern Cross.

Years before, I was on an "ocean station" cruise on a Coast Guard ship. We were sitting half way between Honolulu and San Francisco. Stopped and standing by. The water in September is like a glass table top at times. No light pollution and the clearest air. I swear, the Milky Way was blinding. On those nights I'd look southwest and dream of Hawaiian adventure, then look northeast and remember colder weather and home. The Milky Way seemed to link those worlds.

 

[smstonypoint]

Years before, I was on an "ocean station" cruise on a Coast Guard ship. We were sitting half way between Honolulu and San Francisco. Stopped and standing by.

John,

You are dating yourself if you served on one of the weather ships. Weren't they phased out in the 1970s?

I served in the CG from 1965-69, but my sea duty was limited to a buoy tender.

Steve

 

[SPIKER]

It too has been a really long time for me to see the MW, my step-son-n-law just returned from Gulf in Army 3 month tour.

He took a photo & exclaimed he never knew there was such a nice light shows. He was out in nowhere sand land when Perseid Meteor shower came thru

Back while I was doing similar once flying across from Guam back into states spent night in cockpit of C141 w flight crew (ex Air Force) just after Desert Storm and to see the stars at 40K feet is really something.

by 3/4 AM local time we were flying into/over a weather front near it's (plane's) high altitude ceiling watching lightning under us as we came into the storm really a wow situation. I took photos using my old 35mm and 1000ISO film but had issues with glare off the plexi-glass jump seat window.


Mark

 

[wawajake]

yep looked at it last night and thi morning at 5:50 am letting dog out..........see it most every week, I guess I take it for granted up here in great white north !

 

[Raspy]

John,

You are dating yourself if you served on one of the weather ships. Weren't they phased out in the 1970s?

I served in the CG from 1965-69, but my sea duty was limited to a buoy tender.

Steve

Yeah, it was 1970 on a 311. After the Ocean Station and our return to San Francisco, we went through the Canal and did one off Norfolk. Roughest water I've ever seen! No time to gaze at the sky during that as we were trying to keep the ship, and ourselves, alive. 55 degree rolls, front third of the ship out of the water and slamming, propeller cavitating as the ship shuddered from the impacts. And us with a torn down main engine and one prop off line. Crankshaft out and lashed to timbers. Bracing ourselves and working on oily diamond plate decks. Captain yelling, "get that screw on line!" It was literally too rough to steer with only one propeller and we were flailing. What a ride!

 

[smstonypoint]

Yeah, it was 1970 on a 311. After the Ocean Station and our return to San Francisco, we went through the Canal and did one off Norfolk. Roughest water I've ever seen! No time to gaze at the sky during that as we were trying to keep the ship, and ourselves, alive. 55 degree rolls, front third of the ship out of the water and slamming, propeller cavitating as the ship shuddered from the impacts. And us with a torn down main engine and one prop off line. Crankshaft out and lashed to timbers. Bracing ourselves and working on oily diamond plate decks. Captain yelling, "get that screw on line!" It was literally too rough to steer with only one propeller and we were flailing. What a ride!

Sounds like fun. I was on a 180' buoy tender stationed at Portsmouth, just across the river from where the 311's Absecon and Chincoteague were berthed in Norfolk. I never saw 55 degree rolls, but I did experience some sphincter-tightening moments off of Cape Hatteras.

Steve