I Milky way arms and the position of the Earth

AI Thread Summary
The visibility of different Milky Way arms from Earth varies based on our position around the sun and the time of year. This phenomenon is similar to how different stars become visible at night throughout the seasons. The Earth's tilt is not the primary factor; instead, it's our orbital position that influences what we can see in the night sky. Understanding this relationship clarifies why the Milky Way appears differently at various times. The discussion highlights the importance of Earth's orbit in astronomical observations.
nmsurobert
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I've been trying to understand why we see different milky way arms depending on where we are on Earth and what time of year it is. I've been googling and I can't find an answer. Can anyone explain this to me? If you have a picture handy that would really help.

Thanks.
 
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I just answered my own question. I've been trying to relate it to the Earth's tilt but it has to do with our position around the sun. duh.
 
nmsurobert said:
I just answered my own question. I've been trying to relate it to the Earth's tilt but it has to do with our position around the sun. duh.
In other words, the same reason we see different stars at night depending on the time of year.
 
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