With its dense star fields and dark rifts, the return of the Milky Way in our skies brings a striking reminder of our place in the universe; in Luxembourg, the show reaches its peak in late summer, especially in August, when the galactic core is more clearly visible in the southern sky.

The glowing band that stretches overhead is our edge-on view of the Milky Way's disc, packed with stars, glowing nebulae and dark dust clouds. Astronomers classify it as a barred spiral galaxy spanning almost 100,000 light-years. Our Solar System sits in one of its outer spiral arms, roughly two-thirds of the way from the galactic centre.

In winter, the Milky Way's core stays hidden below the horizon, but from July onwards, the northern hemisphere tilts towards it, revealing the galaxy's brightest and most detailed region.

In Luxembourg, the Milky Way is best observed from late July to late August. This year, the nights around the new moon on 23 August will offer the clearest conditions for viewing or photographing the galaxy in detail. In early August, the prime hours are between midnight and 3.30am. By the end of the month, as the galactic core dips below the horizon earlier, the best time shifts to between 10.30pm and 1.30am.

Finding the Milky Way is easier once you know the landmarks. A reliable guide is the Summer Triangle – the bright stars Vega, Deneb and Altair – which dominates the summer sky in Luxembourg. After locating the three, draw an imaginary line from Altair through Deneb: along this path the Milky Way emerges as a pale, misty band stretching across the sky.

For extra precision, astronomy apps such as Stellarium, SkySafari or Sky Guide can project the galaxy's position on your phone in real time, making it easier to locate the galactic core low in the southern sky. To experience the Milky Way at its best, it is worth escaping light pollution – a task more achievable in Luxembourg than one might assume. The Grand Duchy has several spots where the urban glow recedes, allowing the galaxy to come into sharper view.
  
In the north, the Our Natural Park offers some of the darkest skies in the country. Villages such as Heinerscheid, Bivels, and Clervaux provide excellent vantage points, as well as opportunities for striking astrophotography. The Haute-Sûre Natural Park is another strong option, particularly along the lake’s shoreline, where clear southern horizons open up unobstructed views of the galactic core.

Elevated ground also rewards stargazers. Mont St. Jean near Dudelange offers broad horizons, while the Wiltz Valley and the ridgelines around Kautenbach combine darker skies with dramatic landscapes. For more creative compositions, the floodlit silhouette of Bourscheid Castle provides a striking foreground, and the Remerschen ponds in the southeast can yield mirror-like reflections of the Milky Way when the horizon is clear.

Photographing the Milky Way

RTL

© Adriano Anfuso

Photographing the Milky Way is easier than many assume – and it no longer requires specialist equipment. Recent smartphones now come with night or astrophotography modes that can capture striking results. The essential step is to keep the device perfectly still and allow it to record a long exposure.

For those using a camera, a wide-angle lens between 14 and 24mm is ideal for capturing both the sky and a striking foreground. A fast aperture of f/2.8 or wider helps gather more light during short exposures. A sturdy tripod is essential, along with either a remote shutter release or the camera’s built-in timer to avoid vibration.

For settings, a good starting point is ISO 3200 with the lens at its widest aperture. The shutter speed can be calculated using the 500 rule – dividing 500 by your lens's focal length to estimate the longest exposure time before stars begin to trail. Shooting in RAW format is recommended, as is stacking multiple exposures to reduce noise and reveal finer detail in areas of high contrast. For the cleanest results, particularly when aiming for longer exposures at lower ISO, a star tracker can make a significant difference.

For advanced photographers, a camera modified for hydrogen-alpha sensitivity or fitted with an H-alpha filter can capture emission nebulae such as the Lagoon, Trifid and North America Nebula. These regions glow in deep red light from ionised hydrogen at wavelengths that standard sensors cannot detect, adding both scientific value and striking artistic impact to images.

If photography isn't the aim, the visual experience is reward enough. Under genuinely dark skies, the Milky Way forms a diffuse band running from horizon to horizon, marked by brighter patches and dark rifts where interstellar dust obscures the light. With time for your eyes to adapt, the galaxy’s structure and depth become increasingly vivid, revealing details that are invisible at first glance.

Save the date: 23 August. Step outside and look up, it’s Milky Way time. 

At a Glance – Milky Way Season in Luxembourg 

Best time to observe: Mid-July to early September. 
The new moon on 23 August offers the darkest skies.
 
Ideal viewing hours:
Early August: between midnight and 3.30am. 
Late August: from 10.30pm to 1.30am. 
 
Top viewing locations in Luxembourg:

  • Parc naturel de l’Our (Clervaux, Heinerscheid, Bivels)
  • Parc naturel de la Haute-Sûre
  • Wiltz Valley and Kautenbach region
  • Mont St. Jean (Dudelange)
  • Bourscheid Castle (for scenic foregrounds)