I’m curious what other star gazers look forward to seeing when they are in The North country?

Personally, I love in August/September to look at the Milky Way so much better there than almost any other place I’ve been.

Otherwise, the Orion, Little & Big Dipper are my favorites. There just something about those three that make me feel peaceful and home anywhere I am when I see them.

Leo, Canis Major & Minor, and Pleiades are close seconds that I love getting to see.

I can't say for certain if it is my aging eyes or the proliferation of really magnificent photographs of the core of the Milky Way, but even while in the BWCA I don't think I see as many stars/galaxies etc in the night sky as I did as a kid.

Growing up (ages 8-ish to 16-ish) we'd lay out in the hay field and watch for shooting stars for hours. My memory of the Milky Way from back then was far more brilliant than I get these days.

I also remember how cool it was to see SkyLab pass over head. To see something man made in space from my back yard seemed unreal. Now, it is too common to see satellites glide by.

I plan our trip for a celestial event when I can. In 2021 it was the supermoon, and in 2023 it was the perseids meteor shower peak. This year I have also planned for the peak of the perseids, which happens to be on a new moon this year ,so I am super stoked! You can see 100+ meteors an hour on August 13th, and even the couple days after the peak you will still see 40-60 an hour. I also have never seen the sky out there during a new moon, so I am thrilled with the prospect of seeing the sky with no light pollution.
Our cabin in PA has a huge clearing out front, and one of my favorite activities is to try to spot satellites and UFOS. I've seen some strange things in the sky up there, but the prospect of seeing even more in such a pristine place with little to no light pollution has me giddy with excitement. I can't wait till August!

Any place I can crash in my sleeping bag and look up at the night skies where light pollution is not an issue is a good day for me.
The northern border country, out west and even down in the Ozarks are some of my favorite night viewing.

In the North Country, I usually watch for the Aurora Borealis. Star Gazing in general I always have the Perseid and Geminid meteor shows on my calendar. I always have my Skyview phone app available as well to help me I.D. the stars, planets and constellations because there is something very therapeutic about spending time with the night sky. My best viewing has been in the state of Utah where you normally have both clear and dark skies.

While I don't know much of anything about star grazing, I do enjoy using binoculars and a small star chart on my Canadian trips and in the UP of Michigan. I really like to try to plan trips around the time of a full moon, especially in the spring or fall after the leaves are down. I really like the forest at night with a full moon illuminating it.

Lots of good stuff already mentioned!

There's plenty to see from the suburbs or any rural area but it's always better up north.

Full moon or new moon are both wonderful for different reasons.

A brightly shining Venus after sunset, the Pleiades through binoculars, and Cygnus flying along the Milky Way are definite favorites.

I have made special trips for comets, including Hale-Bopp and Neowise.

I like finding the notable (bright) low southern stars that are harder or impossible to see in other seasons (due to only being up and clear of objects on the horizon during daylight hours). Sirius is most viewable mid to late winter, Spica in the spring, Antares in the summer, and Fomalhaut in the fall and early winter.

A few trips ago, I was with some friends late at night on Larch Lake and watching the Perseids shower and the Milky Way. Just on a whim, I grabbed my binoculars and looked up at the stars, and I felt like my brain exploded! I couldn’t describe the incredible encounter to my friends, so I made them look up at the stars through my binoculars, and then we all just sat quietly, overwhelmed by the incredible amount and glory of the stars. Truly, one of the most incredible experiences.

But now I’m gonna have to look at Pleiades with my binoculars!

On those winter trips I love looking up and seeing Orion, I usually smile and mutter to myself......"Hello old friend."

ForestDuff: "On those winter trips I love looking up and seeing Orion, I usually smile and mutter to myself......"Hello old friend.""

I do something very similar.

The more constellations that I am learned to easily identify the more of the night as much a friend as the day

Our first evening last year the stars were magnificent. All three of us were standing away from the campfire to admire them and pointing out constellations when a shooting star lit up the sky. All three of us saw it at the same time. That was a great moment.

brulu: "Lots of good stuff already mentioned!


There's plenty to see from the suburbs or any rural area but it's always better up north.


Full moon or new moon are both wonderful for different reasons.


A brightly shining Venus after sunset, the Pleiades through binoculars, and Cygnus flying along the Milky Way are definite favorites.


I have made special trips for comets, including Hale-Bopp and Neowise.


I like finding the notable (bright) low southern stars that are harder or impossible to see in other seasons (due to only being up and clear of objects on the horizon during daylight hours). Sirius is most viewable mid to late winter, Spica in the spring, Antares in the summer, and Fomalhaut in the fall and early winter."

The Southern Sky (if you can view) near and around Antares is unreal. Nothing in the North matches this imo and I move around with a 10" scope up to 48' N latitude coming from 42' N -- Butterfly Cluster (M6) - is breathtaking when seen shown with low power/ high focal. M80 - and M7 also .
M6- you can see with with naked eye on pristine nights- certain with Binocs. The Southern Sky around Antares is RICH with views-- much more than people think- and better than a summer view 5-6 N degrees latitude imo.

When is the best time of year to see the Milky Way? I recall it being very evident on one trip, but i have not seen it so visible since. I do not recall when that trip was, we are usually up there in late May though.

Saberboys: "When is the best time of year to see the Milky Way? I recall it being very evident on one trip, but i have not seen it so visible since. I do not recall when that trip was, we are usually up there in late May though."

Moonless , cloudless = look straight up for the most part -- in the summer months-
east-southeast early in the evening before transitioning vertically overhead and towards the west-southwest as the night progresses.

Late June to Early Aug for most N of 45 latitude for a direct view overhead. This is not the best viewing due to length of of daylight - so early Aug into even Sept is prime for most.

Late summer to fall has always been when I see it best up there.

WhiteWolf: "

brulu: "Lots of good stuff already mentioned!



There's plenty to see from the suburbs or any rural area but it's always better up north.



Full moon or new moon are both wonderful for different reasons.



A brightly shining Venus after sunset, the Pleiades through binoculars, and Cygnus flying along the Milky Way are definite favorites.



I have made special trips for comets, including Hale-Bopp and Neowise.



I like finding the notable (bright) low southern stars that are harder or impossible to see in other seasons (due to only being up and clear of objects on the horizon during daylight hours). Sirius is most viewable mid to late winter, Spica in the spring, Antares in the summer, and Fomalhaut in the fall and early winter."

The Southern Sky (if you can view) near and around Antares is unreal. Nothing in the North matches this imo and I move around with a 10" scope up to 48' N latitude coming from 42' N -- Butterfly Cluster (M6) - is breathtaking when seen shown with low power/ high focal. M80 - and M7 also .
M6- you can see with with naked eye on pristine nights- certain with Binocs. The Southern Sky around Antares is RICH with views-- much more than people think- and better than a summer view 5-6 N degrees latitude imo. "

I think I would like to join you sometime when you start gaze. I consider myself an amateur and would love to explore more.

M6 location based on Antares.

We had good visibility of the Milky Way in mid September last year. Depending on how technology-adverse you are, a smartphone camera can capture the MW better than your eyes can.

I love the Milky Way, on a crystal clear night it is always startling to behold. I always like to see the Big Dipper, not that it is much to look at, but it was the first constellation that my grandfather showed me about 50 years ago. I remember him explaining how the outermost stars in the bowl always point to the North Star (Polaris) which is the tip of the handle of the Little Dipper. Memories!

One of the greatest things about the BWCAW is that it has nearly pristine skies, and some of the ONLY Bortle 1 (completely free of light pollution) skies east of the Rockies and High Plains.

Winter, fall and spring have the best transparency, while summer humidity can dampen the view a bit at times.

The vast majority of Americans--even in rural areas--no longer have such skies.

Down here it’s like we’re looking at the same sky… I’ve also got the benefit of seeing several starlink launches. I like watching the booster get flown to wherever they land it until it’s out of view…
But at 70, I’m finally learning which stars I’m looking at besides the Big Dipper…

I'm surprised no one has mentioned satellites. I know they're not natural and not stars, and I love stargazing as much as anybody. But I also look for the "stars" moving fast across the sky. It's a little thing I do. Not sure if anyone else does.

My cousin, a former Air Force navigator, told me about them, and the opportunity to see them if one looks for a while. Until I was in my early 20s did I realize they can be seen on a starry night.

Mike

MikeinMpls: "I'm surprised no one has mentioned satellites. I know they're not natural and not stars, and I love stargazing as much as anybody. But I also look for the "stars" moving fast across the sky. It's a little thing I do. Not sure if anyone else does.


My cousin, a former Air Force navigator, told me about them, and the opportunity to see them if one looks for a while. Until I was in my early 20s did I realize they can be seen on a starry night.


Mike"

When I was a kid back in the early 70s seeing a satellite was a big deal and kind of exciting. Now, they are becoming a nuisance, with several being visible in the sky at any time on any clear night.