Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches

Milky Way's Disappearing Act from Washington / Oregon Coast

Published 05/09/21 at 6:45 PM PDT
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

Milky Way's Disappearing Act from Washington / Oregon Coast

(Manzanita, Oregon) – If you're wondering where is the Milky Way these days – er, nights – there's good reason. It's largely gone from Oregon and Washington skies, including those on the coastlines of both states. (Above: weird neon glow, ocean mists and the stars at Lincoln City)

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; winter deals

Looking up from the beaches of the Oregon coast or Washington coast will yield the surprising sight that the rest of the galaxy has vanished, leaving plenty of stars but not that captivating stretch of hazy, cosmic mass. That, according to OMSI astronomer Jim Todd, is because May always sees the disk of our Milky Way galaxy lying flat, nearly parallel to the plane of your horizon.

“On May evenings before midnight, the equator of the Milky Way circles the rim of the horizon, with the North Galactic Pole standing high overhead in the constellation Coma Berenices, or Berenice's Hair,” Todd said. “In this direction, where the glare and the dust of the Milky Way are minimal, the sky beckons you to look at the deep-sky objects beyond the Milky Way.”

Todd said if you're looking at it from the North Galactic Pole (a way of viewing the galaxy through imaginary coordinate-like lines), the Sun and the solar system essentially revolve clockwise around the center of our Milky Way galaxy – or the nucleus, as Todd called it.

“The galactic plane is the plane in which the majority of a disk-shaped galaxy's mass lies,” Todd said. “The directions perpendicular to the galactic plane point to the galactic poles. Most often, in actual usage, the terms 'galactic plane' and 'galactic poles' are used to refer specifically to the plane and poles of the Milky Way, which is the galaxy in which the Earth is located.”

So far now, the Milky Way is skirting the rim of our horizon on May nights, which means you could theoretically spot more of it looking to the edge of the ocean from the Oregon and Washington coast after dark, depending where it winds up.

Todd said all this indicative of the year being about halfway between the March equinox and June solstice.


The Milky Way above Cannon Beach: this shot, taken during late summer, shows the galaxy looming above the northern Oregon coast in full splendor. MORE PHOTOS BELOW, including star map

Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours


MORE PHOTOS BELOW







Cape Foulweather

Cannon Beach with no Milky Way

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

 



Coastal Spotlight


LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Oregon Coast Hiking Hotspot Closes Briefly: Saddle Mountain Near Seaside, Hwy...
Closure from May 6 to 10, some lane closures on Hwy 26. Cannon Beach, Manzanita, Astoria
Killer Whale Sightings Making Big Splash on Oregon Coast - And It's the Apex ...
It's the same line of transient orcas involved in the whale kill in 2023. Marine sciences
Getting Oregon Coast Stays on the 'Lowdown' - Where Lincoln City Cut Rates
Excellent Lincoln City specials abound. Lincoln City hotel reviews
Destructive, Invasive Crab Found on N. Oregon Coast, Officials Ask Public's Help
Chinese mitten crab was found near Astoria. Marine sciences
Two Oregon Coast Gigs Bring Fiddle Virtuosos and a Local Composer to Newport
Milo Graamans on May 13 at a special benefit; Fiddle Express on May 16. Newport events
South Oregon Coast Landmark Under the Knife: Bandon's Face Rock Viewpoint Clo...
Set to reopen on May 23, parking lot and restroom closed, Depoe Bay, Cape Foulweather. Travel tips
Surprise Oregon Coast Accesses at Yachats' Northern, Outer Edges
Glorious discoveries include where Yachats changes from sand to rock. Travel tips
Washington Coast Gets Another Green Light for Razor Clamming, April 26 - May 3
Long Beach, Copalis, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks. Washington events

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted