Milky Way over Hat Point and Pete's Island

I sure do love our night sky this time of year in northern Minnesota!  Mostly because we can see the core of the Milky Way so vividly.  In the winter it is below the horizon so we cannot see it.  In spring, though, it slowly starts to rise and by mid-April it is pretty high in the sky later in the night.  I also like the angle of the Milky Way this time of year.  Later in the summer it is protruding pretty much straight up from the horizon, but right now it comes up at an angle which is really nice for photography.  I should remind you that when you are are out stargazing you will not see the Milky Way as easily as you see it in this photo.  The camera's sensitivity to light through the use of a long exposure and high ISO allows the photo to show a lot more light than what our eyes can see.  Still, once your eyes adjust, you will be able to easily see the core of the Milky Way (as long as you are away from any major sources of light pollution).  This view was captured just 1/4 mile down the road from our house.