YozoraAtlas

When is Milky Way season in Italy?

On moonless nights the bright core of the Milky Way stands clear of the horizon in Italy from April to August. It climbs highest in the south: about 24° above the horizon in Caltanissetta, Sicily, and only about 14° in Fanes-Sennes-Prags Nature Park, Trentino-Alto Adige.

150+ nights100+ nights50+ nights1 to 49nonenights in 2027 with the core up in moonless darkness
Night-lights map of Italy with every place colored by its Milky Way core nights in 2027

When is Milky Way season in each part of Italy?

The months when most of a region’s places have the core up, how high it climbs at the region’s southern edge, the median core nights in 2027, and the darkest place to see it from.

State or regionSeasonCore heightNights in 2027Darkest place to see it
SicilyMarch to Septemberup to 24°129Madonie Regional Natural ParkBortle 4, 128 nights
CalabriaMarch to Septemberup to 23°124Sila National ParkBortle 4, 123 nights
SardiniaMarch to Septemberup to 22°116Gennargentu National ParkBortle 4, 118 nights
BasilicataMarch to Augustup to 21°114Pollino National ParkBortle 4, 119 nights
CampaniaMarch to Augustup to 21°109Cilento and Vallo di Diano National ParkBortle 4, 114 nights
ApuliaApril to Augustup to 21°106Gargano National ParkBortle 4, 103 nights
LazioApril to Augustup to 20°103Circeo National ParkBortle 4, 107 nights
AbruzzoApril to Augustup to 19°98Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National ParkBortle 4, 98 nights
UmbriaApril to Augustup to 18°93PerugiaBortle 6, 93 nights
MarcheApril to Augustup to 18°91Sibillini Mountains National ParkBortle 4, 94 nights

The darkest places in Italy with the most Milky Way nights

Bortle 1 to 3 places, by nights in 2027 with the core more than 10° up for an hour of moonless darkness.

    Which months have the most Milky Way nights in Italy?

    The median place has the core up on the most moonless nights in May. The core rises before dawn in spring, is up most of the night in early summer and sets in the evening by autumn; each place page lists its own nights and the 2027 new moons.

    0Jan0Feb0Mar16Apr19May19Jun17Jul16Aug4Sep0Oct0Nov0Dec

    How the Milky Way dates for Italy are calculated

    The positions of the sun, the moon and the center of the Milky Way are calculated for every night of 2027 at each place. A night counts when the core stands more than 10° above the horizon for at least an hour while the sun is more than 18° below the horizon and the moon has set. These are calculated positions; whether a night is clear is only known closer to the date. How it works