The 2026 Milky Way Season Guide
Understand exactly when to photograph the Milky Way month by month, window by window, with this free PDF.
You didn't miss the Milky Way. You just didn't know when to go.
That's it. That's the whole problem, and this guide fixes it.
The 2026 Milky Way Season Guide walks you through every shooting window from April through October, month by month, so you know exactly when the core is visible, how long you have, and what to realistically expect from the sky each time you go out. No guesswork, no scrambling, no driving an hour into the dark only to realize you missed the window by two weeks.
Bonus: I've included my personal notes on each month because knowing the timing is one thing, but knowing what the season actually feels like out there? That's what turns a planned shoot into a memorable one.
Hi! I’m Kristine. :)
I began my photography journey at NSCAD University, where I completed both a BFA and BDes. After that, I transitioned into corporate creative, spending 11 years running a commercial photography studio for a kids’ toy company and designing thousands of toys.
From 2008-2016 I taught photography at NSCAD University and explored almost every genre of photography—headshots, weddings, families, and one of my favorites: dog photography.
After my son was born in 2016, I discovered the world of astrophotography. Since I wasn’t sleeping at night anyway, I figured I might as well create incredible photos of the night sky!
Now, I’m a passionate educator who shares my love of the stars with thousands of students every year. My work has been displayed in galleries internationally, and I’ve been honored to receive NASA’s Astronomy Photo of the Day award twice.