From central Georgia 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 Georgia ranked by our light-pollution model.
Core season
Feb–Oct
Best month
June
5.8 h window
Max core altitude
26°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
269
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in Georgia by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 6:17 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:50 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:37 PM – 4:27 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 3:03 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 1:07 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 10:59 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:26 PM – 9:06 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | — | — | 2° | — |
| December | — | — | -18° | — |
Computed for central Georgia (34.73, -83.86) — 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)
| Date | Time | Milky Way |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 09, 2026 | 2:02 AM | Core below horizon at night |
| Tue, Dec 08, 2026 | 7:52 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Thu, Jan 07, 2027 | 3:24 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Sat, Feb 06, 2027 | 10:56 AM | Core season |
| Mon, Mar 08, 2027 | 4:29 AM | Core season |
| Tue, Apr 06, 2027 | 7:51 PM | Core season |
| Thu, May 06, 2027 | 6:58 AM | Core season |
| Fri, Jun 04, 2027 | 3:40 PM | Core season |
| Sat, Jul 03, 2027 | 11:02 PM | Core season |
| Mon, Aug 02, 2027 | 6:05 AM | Core season |
| Tue, Aug 31, 2027 | 1:41 PM | Core season |
| Wed, Sep 29, 2027 | 10:36 PM | Core season |
| Fri, Oct 29, 2027 | 9:36 AM | Core 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 Georgia
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen C. Foster State Park | Dark Sky Place | Clinch County | 3 | 21.68 |
| George T. Bagby State Park | State Park | Clay County | 2 | 21.71 |
| Hamburg State Park | State Park | Glascock County | 2 | 21.69 |
| View point | Scenic Viewpoint | Clay County | 2 | 21.72 |
| Kolomoki Mounds State Park | State Park | Early County | 3 | 21.64 |
| A. H. Stephens State Park | State Park | Taliaferro County | 3 | 21.64 |
| Tallulah Gorge State Park | State Park | Habersham County | 3 | 21.56 |
| Carter Home Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Sumter County | 3 | 21.59 |
| Fort Morris Historic Site | State Park | Liberty County | 3 | 21.47 |
| Georgia Veterans State Park | State Park | Crisp County | 3 | 21.48 |
| Chestatee Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Lumpkin County | 3 | 21.46 |
| Watson Mill Bridge State Park | State Park | Madison County | 3 | 21.39 |
| Martins Knob Lookout Tower | Scenic Viewpoint | Harris County | 3 | 21.40 |
| Cohutta Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Murray County | 3 | 21.40 |
| Damsite Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Murray County | 3 | 21.35 |
| Lookout Point | Scenic Viewpoint | Camden County | 3 | 21.40 |
| Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | McIntosh County | 2 | 21.69 |
| Chattahoochee–Oconee National Forest | National Forest | Fannin County | 3 | 21.55 |
| Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | McIntosh County | 3 | 21.64 |
| Wolf Island National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | McIntosh County | 3 | 21.59 |
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 Georgia
Starting exposure for sharp stars (NPF rule)
| Sensor | Lens | Aperture | NPF max shutter | 500 rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame (35 mm) | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 19.6 s | 36 s |
| Full frame (35 mm) | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 13.8 s | 25 s |
| Full frame (35 mm) | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 11.5 s | 21 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 15.4 s | 23 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 10.8 s | 16 s |
| APS-C (Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Pentax) | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 9.0 s | 14 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 14 mm | f/2.8 | 14.1 s | 18 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 20 mm | f/2.8 | 9.8 s | 12 s |
| Micro Four Thirds | 24 mm | f/2.8 | 8.2 s | 10 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 Georgia?
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 Georgia?
Our darkest modeled locations include Stephen C. Foster State Park, George T. Bagby State Park, Hamburg State Park, View point.
What time is the Milky Way visible tonight?
Use the Milky Way planner with your location for exact rise, transit and dark-window times.