Where Can I See the Milky Way Near Washington DC?

[somebodyelse]

I live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC where the light pollution is such that it is impossible to ever see the Milky Way in the sky. Where is the closest place one could go to actually see the Milky Way and more stars?

 

[Vanadium 50]

Central Virginia or Eastern West Virginia, probably.

 

[somebodyelse]

Can anyone living in those areas verify that the Milky Way is indeed visible there and where? I read somewhere that most Americans have never actually seen the Milky Way in the sky and I know I'm one of them.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Not many people live in those areas. That's kind of the point.

 

[Bandersnatch]

Look at this map:
https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/
You want to go to green areas or darker. Yellow might be doable, if you make sure to shield your peripheral vision well.

 

[phyzguy]

Being at higher altitude helps too, since it gets you above a lot of the smoke and haze. If you go straight west into the George Washington National Forest, it should be quite dark out there. Bandersnatch's map bears this out, too (this map is a nice find, by the way!)

 

[russ_watters]

If you go to a not too busy stretch of beach, such as on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake not only isn't there much light around, but a full half of the sky is totally without lights.

 

[Drakkith]

If you go to a not too busy stretch of beach, such as on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake not only isn't there much light around, but a full half of the sky is totally without lights.

Better yet, rent a small boat and go a bit offshore.