From central Indiana the Milky Way's galactic core is visible in true darkness from March to September, with the longest viewing window in June. Below: monthly times, the next new moons, and the darkest photo locations in Indiana ranked by our light-pollution model.
Core season
Mar–Sep
Best month
June
4.8 h window
Max core altitude
21°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
66
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in Indiana by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:54 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 5:03 AM – 6:23 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 4:34 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:18 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:10 PM – 2:50 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:28 PM – 10:48 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:38 PM – 8:48 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | — | — | 0° | — |
| December | — | — | -19° | — |
Computed for central Indiana (39.7, -86.6) — 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 below horizon at night |
| 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 below horizon at night |
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 Indiana
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shakamak State Park | State Park | Clay County | 3 | 21.50 |
| Lincoln State Park | State Park | Spencer County | 3 | 21.53 |
| Buzzard Roost Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Perry County | 3 | 21.46 |
| Turkey Run State Park | State Park | Parke County | 3 | 21.39 |
| Hilands Overlook State Park | Scenic Viewpoint | Crawford County | 3 | 21.44 |
| Shades State Park | State Park | Parke County | 3 | 21.34 |
| Knobs Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Jackson County | 3 | 21.32 |
| Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge and Management Area | National Wildlife Refuge | Pike County | 3 | 21.58 |
| Hindostan Falls | Ghost Town | Martin County | 3 | 21.46 |
| Jug Rock | Rock Formation | Martin County | 3 | 21.50 |
| Ravine Arch | Natural Arch | Crawford County | 3 | 21.50 |
| Arrowhead Arch | Natural Arch | Crawford County | 3 | 21.49 |
| Hoosier National Forest | National Forest | Orange County | 3 | 21.43 |
| Farnsworth | Ghost Town | Sullivan County | 3 | 21.38 |
| Sloan | Ghost Town | Warren County | 3 | 21.34 |
| Chatterton | Ghost Town | Warren County | 3 | 21.26 |
| Brisco | Ghost Town | Warren County | 3 | 21.34 |
| Caledonia | Ghost Town | Sullivan County | 3 | 21.29 |
| Portland Arch | Natural Arch | Fountain County | 3 | 21.29 |
| Cataract Falls | Waterfall | Owen County | 3 | 21.31 |
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 Indiana
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 Indiana?
From about March to September the core is above the horizon during darkness; June gives the longest window.
Where is the best place to see the Milky Way in Indiana?
Our darkest modeled locations include Shakamak State Park, Lincoln State Park, Buzzard Roost Overlook, Turkey Run State Park.
What time is the Milky Way visible tonight?
Use the Milky Way planner with your location for exact rise, transit and dark-window times.