Milky Way Planner
Point a photograph toward the galactic centre. The arrow is that core’s true-north bearing, not the whole Milky Way.
Map
Choose a location.
The line uses true north. A rotated map keeps the geographic bearing. Length on screen is only a guide. Hills, buildings, and the coast can hide the sky; this map does not calculate terrain clearance.
Sky
The gold dot is the galactic centre. The blue line is the calculated galactic equator where it is above the horizon. The pale dot is the Moon.
Point my phone
The website uses the map bearing. A phone sensor reading appears when the device provides true north.
Darkness and Moon
Saved on this device
About this planner
Calculations use Astronomy Engine 2.1.19. The galactic centre is the IAU 1958 galactic-coordinate origin, transformed to the horizon of the selected date, with normal atmospheric refraction. Times are stored in UTC and shown in the location’s timezone, including daylight saving. The phone or browser timezone is not used for the location clock.
Map tiles come from Esri and need a connection. Place search sends the words you type to OpenStreetMap Nominatim. With no place selected, the map pins the area of this network connection. That lookup uses IP2Location.io on the server. Your coordinates are not stored on Britain in Pictures unless you share a link that contains them. Saved plans stay in this browser.
Astronomy still runs if the map or search cannot load. Weather and light-pollution maps are not connected.
