The best chance for seeing the Milky Way this month will come around Memorial Day weekend in Illinois, according to experts -- and there are a few locations you might want to try viewing from.
Milky Way viewing season is well underway, but according to experts, a May window will be your best bet for seeing the stunning sight in the night sky until much later this summer and fall.
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WATCH HERE"Although the Milky Way can be seen in some form for about eight months of the year, the galaxy's bright core becomes easier to see — and gets higher in the sky — as of May as seen from midlatitudes of the Northern Hemisphere," according to LiveScience.
So when should you look up, where and what time?
Here's what to know:
What is the Milky Way?
According to NASA, the Milky Way is a "spiral galaxy with a disk of stars spanning more than 100,000 light-years."
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"Earth is located along one of the galaxy’s spiral arms, about halfway from the center. Our solar system takes about 240 million years to orbit the Milky Way just once," NASA reported.
When can you see the Milky Way?
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SIGN UP According to Capture The Atlas, a Milky Way photography website, "Milky Way season" begins in February and ends in October.
Timing, however, depends on which part of the season you are in.
From February to June, early morning is the best time for viewing, according to Capture the Atlas.
From July to August it's overnight and from September to October, it's visible in the evening.
But NASA notes the moon cycle matters.
"A bright Moon can be the thing that causes you to stay home on a given night. When it's close to full – for the week or so before and after the full moon phase – the Moon is quite bright, and creates a lot of skyglow. This has a similar effect to that of human-created light pollution, as it makes faint stars and other faint objects in the sky harder to see," NASA reports, adding that the best time to look is in the days before and after the new moon.
The next new moon is set for May 26.
Visibility of a so-called Summer Triangle is also key, however.
The Summer Triangle is a set of three bright stars that sit across the Milky Way.
"This triangle marks where to look for the Milky Way if you are under dark skies this season," according to Space.com. "The Summer Triangle is not a constellation but an asterism, a simple pattern formed by stars from official constellations. It includes one bright star from each of three constellations - Vega in Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus and Altair in Aquila."
When the triangle rises above the horizon, the Milky Way is easier to spot.
"The Milky Way will rise higher into the sky — and appear earlier — as the Summer Triangle becomes more prominent in June and July, but a lack of darkness at mid-northern latitudes around the solstice on June 20-21 makes May the best time to grab a first glance before the Milky Way gets much brighter and higher in the sky in August and September," LiveScience reported.
In May, the best time for viewing, based on the moon cycle and summer triangle, is between May 20 and May 30, according to LiveScience.
During the May window, the triangle is expected to sit in the east at midnight and rise higher in the southeast by 3 a.m. CT, the site reported.
Best ways to view the Milky Way
According to Meteorologist Jennifer Gray with Weather.com, key viewing factors include cloud-free conditions and traveling away from city lights.
"Light pollution will give you zero chance to see it at all," she said.
Beyond that, you'll also want to consider landscapes.
"Try to find a location where there are open views all around, or at least clear views in the direction of things you're hoping to observe," NASA said. "For example, the bright core of the Milky Way is generally seen toward the south, so make sure there isn't a tall mountain ridge blocking your view. If you're observing from a forested area, try to pick a spot near a lake shore or meadow, or some other type of clearing. That way, you can step into an open viewing area once it gets dark."
A website that tracks "dark sky places," notes three potential locations in the Chicago area for viewing.
They include: Hawthorn Woods, Palos Preserves and Homer Glen.
The communities are considered certified for having "outstanding dark sky conditions and protection practices," according to the site.
