The Milky Way is one of my favorite subjects to photograph! It is constantly changing in appearance throughout the year, creating a variety of interesting shooting situations. But figuring out the best time to shoot the Milky Way isn’t always so easy. The rise and set times are constantly changing, and the phase of the moon dramatically affects the Milky Way’s visibility. When you combine all of these factors together with the weather and the time you actually have available, it can be tough to get out and shoot at the best times. Further, if you are planning travel around the Milky Way, it’s useful to have an idea of the overall picture for the year.
With these challenges in mind, each year I sit down and make a list of the best times to shoot the Milky Way for the upcoming season. My intent with this list is to aid in my own travel and trip planning, and you can use it too for that same purpose. Although I’ve applied some scientific rigor to the list below, I’ve also applied a healthy dose of subjectivity too. I’ve also made a few assumptions that may affect how you use the list. All that is to say that some amount of work on your part is still required, as you still need to plan for the conditions in the area you want to shoot. If you need help with this, I suggest taking a look at my article that introduces the subject, or my book that covers it in depth.
2025 is shaping up to be a good year for Milky Way photography! Compared to last year, the season starts a little earlier due to the moon, but there are also some really good-looking stretches in mid to late summer that should be excellent chances to shoot. I always like to have a long stretch in late July or August, as the weather is usually reliably good then. There’s also a really nice time period around Labor Day in the US where both panoramas and vertical Milky Way should be possible around the same time, depending on your location. And perhaps most importantly, my birthday falls during the start of the season, so you know it’s going to be a good year! ;)
Whether this is your first year with my trip planner or you’ve been following along for a while, there are a couple of important things to know:
The dates I present here are approximate. You always need to confirm your local circumstances with an app like PhotoPills or TPE. Again, my book covers in detail the process of coming up with a plan to shoot the Milky Way.
These dates assume a latitude midway through the United States (I used approximately the 45th parallel), and are probably appropriate for most of the United States, the southern half of Canada, most of Europe, and similar latitudes. If you are in the southern United States (or south of that area in general), you’ll have a little more flexibility in shooting situations. Specifically, the Milky Way tends to rise earlier the further south you go. The opposite is true for the northern parts of the US and Canada, as the Milky Way tends to rise later and the season is a little shorter.
I’ve assigned a completely biased, opinionated, and subjective rating to each set of dates, with ⭐ being an okay time to shoot but not the best, and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ being my picks for the best times to shoot this year. You may disagree completely with my rating system. A ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ requires all or most of: good Milky Way conditions, some moon to light the foreground without washing out the sky, the Milky Way in an interesting configuration, and a reasonably long shooting window. These can be tricky circumstances and may not be for all photographers. Don’t discard dates that I rate a ⭐⭐⭐ or lower as these can be compelling too, especially if you have some experience shooting or are willing to brave more adverse conditions.
I have included and prioritized dates that feature a rising or setting moon in the opposite sky as the Milky Way, and are intended for more experienced Milky Way photographers. These dates feature a 🌙 emoji in the list. The intent is to use the moon to illuminate your foreground. How good this actually is will depend heavily on your local terrain. For instance, you might have a mountain that blocks the moon on a particular date, rendering the effect moot. Or, you might be in a really light polluted area and the moon just makes it worse. But, if you can make it work, these are going to be some of the best times to shoot as it provides the most opportunity for a compelling photograph. For beginning Milky Way photographers, I don’t suggest starting with these periods as the planning can be tricky and you often have very limited time to work (sometimes a minute or less).
I’ve also identified quality panorama opportunities using the 🌌 emoji (that’s the Milky Way emoji!). Panoramas are a lot of fun and catching the entire arch of the Milky Way before sunrise is really worthwhile, but there are times of the year where they are much easier to shoot, and that’s what I’ve attempted to identify here. These dates tend to occur in mid-spring, so keep an eye out for them.
I’ve also included the dates when the Milky Way is alone in the sky, without the moon. These are excellent dates that provide really clear sky imagery but potentially at the expense of an interesting foreground. However, these are still excellent times to shoot, and ideally suited for beginners too. The foreground issues can also be mitigated as I talk about extensively in my book. Finally, these time periods are also a great time to bring your non-photographer friends and family out to stargaze, since the sky is dark and they can enjoy the stars while you shoot!
New for this year, I’ve included other interesting astrophotography opportunities that might coincide with your travel or shooting plans. The Perseids are unfortunately happening during unfavorable moon conditions, but there is a total lunar eclipse in the spring that will be fun to shoot.
I’ve made a judgment call on how close the moon should be to the Milky Way before I throw in the towel and exclude a set of dates. If the moon is too close to the Milky Way, it will wash it out. It is possible I haven’t gotten all of these right, and your shoot plans might also require something different, so check local circumstances (are you tired of me repeating this yet? :D).
You can download this entire list as an .ics file to add to the calendar app of your choice. There’s a link at the bottom of the page to do that!
Thanks to everyone that has written to me over the years with comments and suggestions about the trip planner! If you have a question, spot a mistake, or just want to let me know how the trip planner helped plan your session, please let me know!
Here are the dates I picked for this year:
Start
End
Look
Rating
Notes
January 31
February 7
East
⭐
Welcome to Milky Way Season 2025! This year, the season begins earlier than usual, thanks to the favorable position of the moon—and it happens to coincide with my birthday! Early season always presents a challenge with its very early mornings and the brief window for photography before the sun rises. If you're located farther south, you'll find it easier to make the most of this spectacular time. Enjoy the season and happy shooting!
February 8
February 10
East
⭐⭐/🌙
Early risers further to the south who are eager to make the most of the setting moon should take note of this period. It marks the first opportunity of the season to capture the rising horizontal Milky Way with the landscape beautifully lit by the moon as it sets. Shoot fast, though, as the sun rises quickly after the Milky Way!
February 25
March 6
East
⭐⭐⭐
Late February and early March offer a generous window for capturing the rising Milky Way for a wide variety of locations. While the mornings remain early, the nights are still long, providing a bit more time to shoot before the sun makes its appearance. This period strikes a balance between manageable early season conditions and a good opportunity for photography.
March 7
March 10
East
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙
This period is arguably the best time of the year to capture the rising Milky Way with a moonlit foreground. To make the most of it, aim to shoot just as the moon sets or immediately after, but keep an eye on the sun. Careful planning is key!
March 14
March 15
Eclipse
🌕🔴
North America will get a total lunar eclipse during the middle of March. It isn't Milky Way, but lunar eclipses can be fun to shoot (and watch) nevertheless!
March 25
April 3
Southeast
⭐⭐⭐/🌌
It's time to start thinking about a panorama! During this time of the year, the Milky Way rises before sunrise, but stays up for long enough to get higher in the sky and afford you the opportunity to shoot a panorama with the arch of the Milky Way. No moon means a longer shooting opportunity!
April 4
April 7
Southeast
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙/🌌
The panorama fun continues into this period with the addition of the setting moon! Plan carefully, as the moon's position in the sky will need to play nice with the position you want your Milky Way arch to be in.
April 21
May 1
Southeast
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌌
This period is my pick to grab a panoramic Milky Way image in 2025. The moon may be a factor early in the period, but by the end the moon is gone, and you have plenty of time to let the Milky Way get into position for the image you are after.
May 2
May 5
Southeast
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙/🌌
During this period, the moon is up for part of the night but the shooting window is long. That gives you a unique chance to shoot a panorama both with and without the moon as the night goes on.
May 19
May 28
South
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌌
This is a transition period, where the Milky Way is now visible for most or all of the night. Depending on your location, you may have the chance to shoot both panoramas as well as a vertical Milky Way. Early in the period the moon rises after the Milky Way, limiting the shooting window, but by the end the moon is no longer a factor.
May 29
June 4
South
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙
During this period, the moon sets after the Milky Way becomes visible, which means that you can shoot both with and without the moon illuminating your foreground. The later into the period you go, the later the shooting window starts as the moon is up for longer. Unfortunately, the nights are starting to get quite short, which will limit your shooting time.
June 20
June 29
South
⭐⭐⭐
Late June provides the shortest nights of the year, but this year features no moon, so the Milky Way will be visible all night. The weather is usually pleasant and so it's a nice time to shoot. With favorable weather and careful planning, this is a good time to shoot composites where you shoot the Milky Way by itself during the darkest part of the night, and then shoot multiple different foregrounds to blend in later.
June 30
July 4
South
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙
The week of Fourth of July and Canada Day provides a great opportunity to shoot a vertical Milky Way with the moon providing foreground light. The earlier part of this period will be easier to work with than the latter, as by the end the moon is close enough to the Milky Way to shorten the shooting window considerably, especially with the shorter nights.
July 18
July 21
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙
This short period in the middle of July gives you a chance to shoot with dark skies throughout the night, and then take advantage of the rising moon just as the Milky Way sets. The nights are starting to get longer too, so this period is a good choice to get both types of shots and have plenty of time to work with.
July 22
July 31
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This period is the height of the summer season, so grab your gear and your crew and head out! With the Milky Way up all night and no influence from the moon, you'll have plenty of time to enjoy shooting during the warmer nights. The nights are longer too!
August 14
August 20
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/🌙
This is an ideal period to shoot the Milky Way on almost all fronts. At this time of the year, the Milky Way is visible at sunset, but a little while later the moon rises, giving you a chance to illuminate your foreground. The later in the period you go, the longer the Milky Way is up before the moon rises. You might even catch a couple of late Perseid meteors towards the beginning of the period too. Plus, the nights are longer, giving you more time to enjoy the night sky!
August 21
August 28
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Late in August, the nights are long and the Milky Way is up all night. During this period, the moon is no longer an influence, so you'll have plenty of time to shoot. This is also a great time to bring friends and family that haven't seen the Milky Way out to look, since the sun sets earlier and the Milky Way is visible right away.
September 12
September 18
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐/🌙
This period is your last chance to shoot with the moon this Milky Way season. Earlier in the period, the moon is up not long after sunset, but as the period goes on, the moon becomes less of a factor. The Milky Way sets during the middle of the night, so careful planning is needed to ensure that the moon doesn't interfere.
September 19
September 25
Southwest
⭐⭐⭐
The last hurrah of Milky Way Season 2025 ends with no moon and the Milky Way setting over the western horizon. No need for an early morning, as the Milky Way is gone by midnight, but the shooting window is short, and the best part of the Milky Way core will set quickly. Nevertheless, it's a fine time to get out and get those last few shots before next season!
If you’d like these as an .ics (iCal) to add to your calendar, fill out the form on this page and you’ll see the download link. You can then import the .ics file into any calendar app of your choice. Usually all it takes is a double click. I’ve added reminders to the events too, so you’ll get a notification to remind you to get out and shoot!
Need some help getting started shooting? Check out some of my learning resources, or my popular Milky Way eBook!
I hope this list is helpful! Please let me know if I’ve missed something or made a mistake, and happy Milky Way season!