Lower Lake Beach — a beach in Panola County, Mississippi at about 67 m (220 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 11.9 km (7.4 mi) ESE of Sardis.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lower Lake 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) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 61° ENE | 8:15 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 118° ESE | 4:54 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 52m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Lower Lake 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 3:59 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 10:32 PM | 2.0 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:29 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.49 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 73 | 76 | 83 | 88 | 98 | 108 | 105 | 109 | 102 | 102 | 87 | 77 |
| Low °F | 6 | 13 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 53 | 58 | 53 | 42 | 28 | 17 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.5 | 6.1 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 5.7 |
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
- 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.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Lower Lake Beach, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Oak Grove Campground94 m
- Big Acres387 m · reservable
- Outlet Channel (Sardis)403 m · reservable
- Paradise Point630 m · reservable
- Oak Grove (Ms)764 m · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lower Lake Beach?
What time is golden hour at Lower Lake Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lower Lake Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lower Lake Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lower Lake Beach?
How far is Lower Lake Beach from Sardis?
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.