From central Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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
197
Bortle 1–3 (est.)
Milky Way core visibility in Tennessee by month
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | — | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:34 AM – 5:24 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 4:34 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:39 PM – 3:49 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:06 PM – 12:06 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:16 PM – 10:06 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:32 PM – 8:02 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | — | — | 2° | — |
| December | — | — | -19° | — |
Computed for central Tennessee (35.48, -85.37) — 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 Tennessee
| Location | Type | County | Est. Bortle | Zenith mag/arcsec² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickett Civilian Conservation Corps Memorial State Park | Dark Sky Place | Fentress County | 2 | 21.74 |
| Obed Wild and Scenic River | Dark Sky Place | Morgan County | 3 | 21.58 |
| Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park | State Park | Fentress County | 2 | 21.74 |
| Natchez Trace State Park | State Park | Henderson County | 3 | 21.66 |
| Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park | State Park | Pickett County | 2 | 21.73 |
| Honey Creek Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Scott County | 3 | 21.69 |
| Lookout Point | Scenic Viewpoint | Fentress County | 2 | 21.72 |
| Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park | State Park | Benton County | 3 | 21.59 |
| Standing Stone State Park | State Park | Overton County | 3 | 21.63 |
| Indian Mountain State Park | State Park | Campbell County | 3 | 21.65 |
| Big Hill Pond State Park | State Park | McNairy County | 3 | 21.61 |
| Pickwick Landing State Park | State Park | Hardin County | 3 | 21.65 |
| Morton Overlook | Scenic Viewpoint | Sevier County | 3 | 21.55 |
| Overlook Picnic Area | Scenic Viewpoint | Greene County | 3 | 21.55 |
| Reelfoot Lake State Park | State Park | Obion County | 3 | 21.54 |
| Roan Mountain State Park | State Park | Carter County | 3 | 21.47 |
| Chickasaw State Park | State Park | Hardeman County | 3 | 21.50 |
| Frozen Head State Park | State Park | Morgan County | 3 | 21.51 |
| Lamar Alexander Rocky Fork State Park | State Park | Unicoi County | 3 | 21.47 |
| Piney Point | Scenic Viewpoint | Franklin County | 3 | 21.46 |
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 Tennessee
Dark Sky PlacePickett Civilian Conservation Corps Memorial State Park
Dark Sky PlaceObed Wild and Scenic River
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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee?
Our darkest modeled locations include Pickett Civilian Conservation Corps Memorial State Park, Obed Wild and Scenic River, Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park, Natchez Trace 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.