Located in Mobile County, Alabama, Mobile Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 9.0 km (5.6 mi) WSW of Prichard.
The Mobile Botanical Gardens were founded in 1974, and are located on Museum Drive in the Spring Hill community in Mobile, Alabama, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Mobile Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mobile Botanical Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 62° ENE | 7:59 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 117° ESE | 4:56 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 09m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:06 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Mobile Botanical Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:12 AM – 5:12 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:23 PM – 4:23 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:36 PM – 4:06 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:04 PM – 12:44 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:41 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:43 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 95 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 21 | 28 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 56 | 42 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 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 botanical garden
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Mobile Botanical Gardens, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouse
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mobile Botanical Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Mobile Botanical Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mobile Botanical Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mobile Botanical Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mobile Botanical Gardens?
How far is Mobile Botanical Gardens from Prichard?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikipedia. 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.