From central Louisiana 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 Louisiana ranked by our light-pollution model.
Core season
Feb–Oct
Best month
June
6.7 h window
Max core altitude
31°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
63
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in Louisiana by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:26 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 5:07 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:35 PM – 4:35 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 4:27 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:44 PM – 2:54 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:55 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 10:54 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:56 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | — | — | 4° | — |
| December | — | — | -18° | — |
Computed for central Louisiana (30.3, -91.49) — 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 | 1:02 AM | Core below horizon at night |
| Tue, Dec 08, 2026 | 6:52 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Thu, Jan 07, 2027 | 2:24 PM | Core below horizon at night |
| Sat, Feb 06, 2027 | 9:56 AM | Core season |
| Mon, Mar 08, 2027 | 3:29 AM | Core season |
| Tue, Apr 06, 2027 | 6:51 PM | Core season |
| Thu, May 06, 2027 | 5:58 AM | Core season |
| Fri, Jun 04, 2027 | 2:40 PM | Core season |
| Sat, Jul 03, 2027 | 10:02 PM | Core season |
| Mon, Aug 02, 2027 | 5:05 AM | Core season |
| Tue, Aug 31, 2027 | 12:41 PM | Core season |
| Wed, Sep 29, 2027 | 9:36 PM | Core season |
| Fri, Oct 29, 2027 | 8:36 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 Louisiana
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Bruin State Park | State Park | Tensas Parish | 2 | 21.82 |
| Hodges Gardens State Park | State Park | Sabine Parish | 2 | 21.82 |
| North Toledo Bend State Park | State Park | Sabine Parish | 2 | 21.83 |
| South Toledo Bend State Park | State Park | Vernon Parish | 2 | 21.79 |
| Bayou Cypre Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.81 |
| Bayou Luce Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.78 |
| Bayou Pierre Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.81 |
| Bolton Hill Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.81 |
| Jackson Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.81 |
| Melrose Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Natchitoches Parish | 2 | 21.78 |
| Fort Jesup | State Park | Sabine Parish | 2 | 21.73 |
| Chemin-A-Haut State Park | State Park | Morehouse Parish | 2 | 21.71 |
| Lake Claiborne State Park | State Park | Claiborne Parish | 2 | 21.73 |
| Jimmie Davis State Park | State Park | Jackson Parish | 2 | 21.72 |
| Cypremort Point State Park | State Park | St. Mary Parish | 3 | 21.66 |
| Grand Isle State Park | State Park | Jefferson Parish | 2 | 21.70 |
| Chicot State Park | State Park | Evangeline Parish | 3 | 21.59 |
| Lake D'Arbonne State Park | State Park | Union Parish | 3 | 21.59 |
| Lake Bistineau State Park | State Park | Webster Parish | 3 | 21.48 |
| Bogue Chitto State Park | State Park | Washington Parish | 3 | 21.49 |
Sky brightness is modeled from nearby town populations (Walker's law); terrain, altitude and local lighting can make real skies better or worse.
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 Louisiana?
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 Louisiana?
Our darkest modeled locations include Lake Bruin State Park, Hodges Gardens State Park, North Toledo Bend State Park, South Toledo Bend 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.