Watch the Milky Way Shine Over California’s King Range in This Awesome Video

Robert Wick, photographer for the BLM, contributed this video to Space.com's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

The mountain peaks in King Range National Conservation Area, on the far northern California Coast, offer opportunities to get above the coastal fog for exceptional night sky viewing. Far from city lights, the area's dark skies enable viewers to clearly see the Milky Way and a seemingly countless number of stars. Summer nights with a new moon are the best time to view the heart of the Milky Way — look for it in the southern sky.

The King Range is one of more than 800 units of the National Conservation Lands, special areas managed for conservation by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Most of these lands are located in the western United States, far from city light pollution. During the day, they offer opportunities for a diversity of outdoor activities for visitors willing to go off the beaten path. At night, they provide some of the best opportunities for star gazing anywhere in the United States. For further information on these spectacular lands visit the BLM special areas site.

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