Georgeson Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska. It sits roughly 2.7 km (1.7 mi) W of College.
The Georgeson Botanical Garden is located at 117 West Tanana Drive on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in Fairbanks, Alaska, United States. The five-acre garden hosts a variety of research and educational programs in subarctic horticulture. It is open to the public during daylight hours, May through September, for a fee. It is part of the Alaska Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. The garden was named after Charles Christian Georgeson, who was USDA Special Agent in Charge of Alaska Investigations in 1899. Dr. Georgeson arrived in Alaska during the Gold Rush to research the possibilities for agriculture in Alaska. He surveyed the land near Fairbanks and started the Fairbanks Experiment Farm. A portion of the land was later annexed for use as the first campus of the University of Alaska.From the Wikipedia article “Georgeson Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Georgeson Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 15° (NNE) at the June solstice and 155° (SSE) in late December. Sunset moves from 346° (NNW) in June to 205° (SSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 49° in summer but only 2° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:52 AM | 89° E | 8:07 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 15m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 2:58 AM | 15° NNE | 12:50 AM | 346° NNW | 49° | 21h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:35 AM | 88° E | 7:55 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 19m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 11:00 AM | 155° SSE | 2:41 PM | 205° SSW | 2° | 3h 40m |
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 | 9:17 AM | 10:28 AM | — | — | 3:35 PM | 4:46 PM | 5h 07m |
| February | 7:58 AM | 8:51 AM | 10:13 AM | 4:00 PM | 5:22 PM | 6:15 PM | 8h 31m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 8:11 AM | 9:16 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:40 PM | 11h 41m |
| April | 5:19 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:25 PM | 15h 11m |
| May | 2:20 AM | 4:28 AM | 5:56 AM | 9:41 PM | 11:09 PM | 1:18 AM | 18h 41m |
| June | — | 3:01 AM | 5:10 AM | 10:35 PM | 12:44 AM | — | 21h 43m |
| July | — | 3:54 AM | 5:38 AM | 10:18 PM | 12:02 AM | — | 20h 09m |
| August | 4:30 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:53 AM | 9:01 PM | 10:15 PM | 11:23 PM | 16h 35m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:16 PM | 8:21 PM | 9:11 PM | 13h 06m |
| October | 7:55 AM | 8:45 AM | 9:57 AM | 5:18 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:21 PM | 9h 46m |
| November | 8:25 AM | 9:28 AM | 11:45 AM | 1:29 PM | 3:46 PM | 4:49 PM | 6h 18m |
| December | 9:29 AM | 10:54 AM | — | — | 2:41 PM | 4:06 PM | 3h 47m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.49 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 38 | 38 | 51 | 68 | 83 | 88 | 87 | 84 | 71 | 63 | 38 | 36 |
| Low °F | -47 | -40 | -42 | -18 | 15 | 27 | 39 | 32 | 21 | -16 | -31 | -41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 |
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
- 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.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Georgeson Botanical Garden, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Georgeson Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at Georgeson Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Georgeson Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Georgeson Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Georgeson Botanical Garden?
How far is Georgeson Botanical Garden from College?
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.