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Milky Way in Arizona

Core season, new moons and the darkest locations

  • Season Feb–Oct

From central Arizona the Milky Way's galactic core is visible in true darkness from February to October, with the longest viewing window in June. Below: monthly times, the next new moons, and the darkest photo locations in Arizona ranked by our light-pollution model.

Core season
Feb–Oct
Best month
June
6.0 h window
Max core altitude
27°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
519
Bortle 1–3 (est.)

Milky Way core visibility in Arizona by month

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
January——0°—
February5:04 AM – 5:44 AM0.716°SE → SE
March3:17 AM – 5:07 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April1:16 AM – 4:16 AM3.027°SE → S
May11:19 PM – 3:39 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June9:25 PM – 3:25 AM6.027°SE → SW
July9:21 PM – 2:01 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August8:46 PM – 11:56 PM3.227°S → SW
September7:59 PM – 9:59 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October7:16 PM – 7:56 PM0.716°SW → SW
November——2°—
December——-18°—

Computed for central Arizona (34.28, -111.42) — core at least 10° high during astronomical darkness. Northern parts of the state see it lower and for less time.

Next new moons (darkest nights)

DateTimeMilky Way
Mon, Nov 09, 202612:02 AMCore below horizon at night
Tue, Dec 08, 20265:52 PMCore below horizon at night
Thu, Jan 07, 20271:24 PMCore below horizon at night
Sat, Feb 06, 20278:56 AMCore season
Mon, Mar 08, 20272:29 AMCore season
Tue, Apr 06, 20274:51 PMCore season
Thu, May 06, 20273:58 AMCore season
Fri, Jun 04, 202712:40 PMCore season
Sat, Jul 03, 20278:02 PMCore season
Mon, Aug 02, 20273:05 AMCore season
Tue, Aug 31, 202710:41 AMCore season
Wed, Sep 29, 20277:36 PMCore season
Fri, Oct 29, 20276:36 AMCore season

New moon times from the U.S. Naval Observatory, converted to local time. The 3–4 nights either side are also dark in the evening or morning.

Darkest photo locations in Arizona

LocationTypeCountyEst. BortleZenith mag/arcsec²
Grand Canyon National ParkDark Sky PlaceCoconino County121.92
Petrified Forest National ParkDark Sky PlaceApache County121.92
Chiricahua National MonumentDark Sky PlaceCochise County121.89
Pipe Spring National MonumentDark Sky PlaceMohave County221.85
Kaibab Band of Paiute IndiansDark Sky PlaceMohave County221.85
Grand Canyon–Parashant National MonumentDark Sky PlaceMohave County221.81
Flagstaff Area National MonumentsDark Sky PlaceCoconino County221.82
Kartchner Caverns State ParkDark Sky PlaceCochise County321.54
Tumacácori National Historical ParkDark Sky PlaceSanta Cruz County321.39
Tonto National MonumentDark Sky PlaceGila County321.31
Centella PointScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90
Wagon Massacre SiteScenic ViewpointCochise County221.88
Sea CaptainScenic ViewpointCochise County121.89
Monte Vista Peak LookoutScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90
P S Knoll Lookout TowerScenic ViewpointGreenlee County221.89
Ambush Saddle ViewpointScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90
Red RocksScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90
Winn Falls ViewpointScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90
Cathedral Vista PointScenic ViewpointCochise County121.91
Silver Peak LookoutScenic ViewpointCochise County121.90

Sky brightness is modeled from nearby town populations (Walker's law); terrain, altitude and local lighting can make real skies better or worse.

Certified dark sky places in Arizona

FlagstaffDark Sky Place
FlagstaffCoconino County
SedonaDark Sky Place
SedonaYavapai County
Grand Canyon National ParkDark Sky Place
Grand Canyon National ParkCoconino County
Village of Oak CreekDark Sky Place
Village of Oak CreekYavapai County
Fountain HillsDark Sky Place
Fountain HillsMaricopa County
Petrified Forest National ParkDark Sky Place
Petrified Forest National ParkApache County
Dark Sky Place
Camp VerdeYavapai County
Chiricahua National MonumentDark Sky Place
Chiricahua National MonumentCochise County
Pipe Spring National MonumentDark Sky Place
Pipe Spring National MonumentMohave County
Tonto National MonumentDark Sky Place
Tonto National MonumentGila County
Kartchner Caverns State ParkDark Sky Place
Kartchner Caverns State ParkCochise County
Tumacácori National Historical ParkDark Sky Place
Tumacácori National Historical ParkSanta Cruz County
Grand Canyon–Parashant National MonumentDark Sky Place
Grand Canyon–Parashant National MonumentMohave County
Kaibab Band of Paiute IndiansDark Sky Place
Kaibab Band of Paiute IndiansMohave County
Oracle State ParkDark Sky Place
Oracle State ParkPinal County
Flagstaff Area National MonumentsDark Sky Place
Flagstaff Area National MonumentsCoconino County

Starting exposure for sharp stars (NPF rule)

SensorLensApertureNPF max shutter500 rule
Full frame (35 mm)14 mmf/2.819.6 s36 s
Full frame (35 mm)20 mmf/2.813.8 s25 s
Full frame (35 mm)24 mmf/2.811.5 s21 s
APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax)14 mmf/2.815.4 s23 s
APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax)20 mmf/2.810.8 s16 s
APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax)24 mmf/2.89.0 s14 s
Micro Four Thirds14 mmf/2.814.1 s18 s
Micro Four Thirds20 mmf/2.89.8 s12 s
Micro Four Thirds24 mmf/2.88.2 s10 s

NPF = (35 × f-number + 30 × pixel pitch) ÷ focal length, using typical pixel pitch per format (24 MP FF, 24–26 MP APS-C, 20 MP MFT). Fine-tune for your camera with the NPF calculator.

Tips for Milky Way photography

  • Shoot within a few days of the new moon, or after moonset / before moonrise.
  • Use ISO 3200–6400 on modern full-frame sensors, f/1.8–f/2.8, and the NPF shutter time.
  • Focus manually on a bright star with live view magnified, then lock the focus ring.
  • Shoot a blue-hour or low-ISO foreground frame from the same tripod position and blend it later.
  • Stack 10–20 frames to reduce noise, or use a star tracker for longer exposures.
  • Check the darkest-location table above, then confirm the view to the south on the location's sun-path diagram.

FAQ

When is Milky Way season in Arizona?
From about February to October the core is above the horizon during darkness; June gives the longest window.
Where is the best place to see the Milky Way in Arizona?
What time is the Milky Way visible tonight?
Use the Milky Way planner with your location for exact rise, transit and dark-window times.