( PHOTOGRAPHY BY WOLF MATTHEWSON )
Snapshot:
The Milky Way
at Castle Hill
Gentle reminder: Look up. Milky Way season is upon
us. According to astronomer Francine Jackson of Brown
University’s Ladd Observatory in Providence, “The Milky
Way is best observed in the warm weather, when it
seems to break the sky in half, from north to south.” Castle
Hill Lighthouse in Newport is a prime place to observe our
humble galactic plane, which “is best seen with the naked
eye, as a telescope will just show a small portion of it,”
Jackson says. “It is also best seen in dark skies, such as
South County or western Rhode Island.” Shoot for a spot
with minimal light pollution on a new moon night (June
21), around midnight. Then, settle in and soak up the hazy
starshine. —CASEY NILSSON