Bartow Beach is a beach in Bartow County, Georgia at about 257 m (843 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) NNE of Emerson.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bartow Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 61° ENE | 8:54 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:42 AM | 118° ESE | 5:34 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 52m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:18 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:23 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 07m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:23 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 25m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 13m |
| August | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:19 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 24m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 53m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Bartow Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 6:21 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 5:39 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 4:52 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:38 PM – 4:38 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:59 PM – 1:09 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:12 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 9:09 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.29 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 75 | 83 | 85 | 92 | 107 | 104 | 102 | 100 | 97 | 84 | 74 |
| Low °F | 2 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 52 | 52 | 38 | 25 | 17 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.5 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this beach
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bartow Beach, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
Beach
Lake
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Covered Bridge
Mountain Peak
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cooper Branch No 2 Day Use Area (Ga)975 m · reservable
- Cooper'S Furnace Day Use Area (Ga)1.3 km (0.8 mi) · reservable
- Riverside Park Day Use Area (Ga)2.0 km (1.2 mi) · reservable
- Galt'S Ferry Day Use Area (Ga)8.5 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Victoria Campground9.9 km (6.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bartow Beach?
What time is golden hour at Bartow Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bartow Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bartow Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bartow Beach?
How far is Bartow Beach from Emerson?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.