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If you grew up in a rural area and then moved to a big city, one of the first things that you probably noticed was the differences of the night sky. And if you’ve never traveled outside of your safety zone, then this could be a revelation. I think most people have a good idea that pollution and light have a huge effect on the visibility of the stars, but the differences are just incredible.
The sky of the inner city is starless. Not because the stars don’t exist, but because they are hidden from sight due to various pollutants and the bright lights of the city. In rural locations, the stars are breathtakingly vivid. In the most rural of areas you can even make out the outskirts of the Milky Way. Urban sprawl is speedily disconnecting us from nature, whether we like it or not.
You don’t have to live in some remote area to be able to see the Milky Way. I grew up a few miles outside of Muncie, IN (population: 62,000), and on a clear night you could see it as a diffuse band of light in the night sky.