From central North Dakota the Milky Way's galactic core is visible in true darkness from April to August, with the longest viewing window in June. Below: monthly times, the next new moons, and the darkest photo locations in North Dakota ranked by our light-pollution model.
Core season
Apr–Aug
Best month
June
1.8 h window
Max core altitude
13°
above southern horizon
Dark locations
99
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in North Dakota by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | -6° | — |
| February | — | — | 5° | — |
| March | — | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:15 AM – 4:55 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:15 AM – 3:35 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:46 AM – 2:36 AM | 1.8 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:17 AM – 1:27 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:59 PM – 11:29 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | — | — | 9° | — |
| October | — | — | 5° | — |
| November | — | — | -4° | — |
| December | — | — | -20° | — |
Computed for central North Dakota (47.59, -100.14) — 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 below horizon at night |
| Mon, Mar 08, 2027 | 3:29 AM | Core below horizon at night |
| 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 below horizon at night |
| Fri, Oct 29, 2027 | 8:36 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 North Dakota
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Stevenson State Park | State Park | McLean County | 1 | 21.92 |
| Cross Ranch State Park | State Park | Oliver County | 2 | 21.87 |
| Fort Ransom State Park | State Park | Ransom County | 1 | 21.91 |
| Icelandic State Park | State Park | Pembina County | 1 | 21.94 |
| Beaver Lake State Park | State Park | Logan County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Lake Sakakawea State Park | State Park | Mercer County | 1 | 21.92 |
| Fort Totten State Historic Site | State Park | Benson County | 2 | 21.88 |
| Lewis and Clark State Park | State Park | McKenzie County | 2 | 21.86 |
| Badlands Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Billings County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Boicourt Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Billings County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Coal Vein Trail Post 12: Clinker Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Billings County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Coal Vein Trail Post 8: Hills Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Billings County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Bentonitic Clay Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | McKenzie County | 1 | 21.90 |
| Lookout Point | Scenic Viewpoint | Pembina County | 1 | 21.94 |
| Overlook Spring | Scenic Viewpoint | McKenzie County | 1 | 21.91 |
| Painted Canyon Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Billings County | 1 | 21.92 |
| Turtle River State Park | State Park | Grand Forks County | 2 | 21.84 |
| Lake Sakakawea | Lake | McLean County | 1 | 21.92 |
| Lake Ibsen | Lake | Benson County | 1 | 21.93 |
| Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | Ward County | 1 | 21.94 |
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 North Dakota?
From about April to August the core is above the horizon during darkness; June gives the longest window.
Where is the best place to see the Milky Way in North Dakota?
Our darkest modeled locations include Fort Stevenson State Park, Cross Ranch State Park, Fort Ransom State Park, Icelandic 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.