Eddy Arboretum, Placerville, California
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38.7297° N120.7990° WBortle 6Los Angeles

Eddy Arboretum Photography Guide

Botanical Garden in El Dorado County, California

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: United States Forest Service · Public domain · source

Eddy Arboretum is a botanical garden in El Dorado County, California.

The Eddy Arboretum is located at the Institute of Forest Genetics in the Sierra Nevada near Placerville, in El Dorado County, eastern California.From the Wikipedia article “Eddy Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Placerville
0 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
August
14% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.2 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:50 PM
sunset 6:26 PM

Light at Eddy Arboretum

Live
Sunrise
7:18 AM
Sunset
6:19 PM
Golden hour AM
7:02 AM – 7:54 AM
Golden hour PM
5:43 PM – 6:36 PM
Blue hour AM
6:51 AM – 7:02 AM
Blue hour PM
6:36 PM – 6:46 PM
Full darkness
7:48 PM – 5:50 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:32 PM / 1:28 AM
Day length
11h 01m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Eddy Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:07 AM90° E7:15 PM271° W51°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:39 AM59° ENE8:32 PM302° WNW75°14h 53m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:52 AM89° E7:02 PM271° W52°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:19 AM120° ESE4:46 PM240° WSW28°9h 27m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:51 AM7:20 AM8:01 AM4:26 PM5:06 PM5:35 PM9h 45m
February6:28 AM6:55 AM7:32 AM5:04 PM5:41 PM6:09 PM10h 46m
March6:49 AM7:15 AM7:50 AM6:35 PM7:11 PM7:37 PM11h 55m
April6:00 AM6:27 AM7:03 AM7:04 PM7:40 PM8:08 PM13h 13m
May5:22 AM5:52 AM6:30 AM7:31 PM8:09 PM8:39 PM14h 17m
June5:07 AM5:39 AM6:18 AM7:51 PM8:30 PM9:02 PM14h 52m
July5:20 AM5:51 AM6:30 AM7:49 PM8:28 PM8:59 PM14h 37m
August5:50 AM6:18 AM6:54 AM7:23 PM7:59 PM8:28 PM13h 41m
September6:19 AM6:46 AM7:21 AM6:38 PM7:13 PM7:40 PM12h 28m
October6:46 AM7:13 AM7:49 AM5:50 PM6:26 PM6:53 PM11h 13m
November6:18 AM6:46 AM7:26 AM4:12 PM4:51 PM5:19 PM10h 05m
December6:45 AM7:15 AM7:57 AM4:02 PM4:43 PM5:13 PM9h 28m

Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Eddy Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:10 AM – 5:20 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:19 AM – 5:39 AM1.319°SE → SSE
April2:15 AM – 4:45 AM2.522°SE → S
May12:16 AM – 3:56 AM3.722°SE → S
June10:28 PM – 3:38 AM5.222°SE → SSW
July10:21 PM – 2:11 AM3.822°SSE → SW
August9:38 PM – 12:08 AM2.522°S → SW
September8:43 PM – 10:03 PM1.319°SSW → SW
October7:54 PM – 8:14 PM0.312°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-19°—

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 ≈ 19.42 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7270758497104107103107978370
Low °F17917263238464638321213
Precip. (in)4.75.44.93.01.60.40.10.10.21.73.46.0

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 Eddy Arboretum, closest first.

Canyon
Big Canyon4.5 km away · El Dorado County
Canyon
Ladies Canyon4.7 km away · El Dorado County
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic ParkState Park
Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park11 km away · El Dorado County
Ghost Town
Salmon Falls23 km away · El Dorado County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Eddy Arboretum?
August has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
What time is golden hour at Eddy Arboretum?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:50 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:26 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:49 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Eddy Arboretum?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Eddy Arboretum?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Eddy Arboretum?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Eddy Arboretum from Placerville?
About 0 m in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, 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.