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36.7236° N120.0600° WBortle 6Los Angeles

M. Young Botanic Garden Photography Guide

Botanical Garden in Fresno County, California

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Oabjf34Q (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

M. Young Botanic Garden — a botanical garden in Fresno County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers.

The M. Young Botanic Garden 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) is a botanical garden located at 14178 West Kearney, Kerman, California, United States. Every plant used is drought-tolerant. One section contains Southwestern native trees, shrubs and ground covers. Another will include 12 different gardens with a water-conservation theme, some with paths, arbors, patios and seating areas.From the Wikipedia article “M. Young Botanic Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Kerman
0 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
August
10% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:50 PM
sunset 6:25 PM

Light at M. Young Botanic Garden

Live
Sunrise
7:13 AM
Sunset
6:18 PM
Golden hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:48 AM
Golden hour PM
5:43 PM – 6:35 PM
Blue hour AM
6:47 AM – 6:57 AM
Blue hour PM
6:35 PM – 6:45 PM
Full darkness
7:45 PM – 5:47 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:26 PM / 1:29 AM
Day length
11h 06m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
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 M. Young Botanic Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:05 AM90° E7:12 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:43 AM60° ENE8:23 PM301° WNW77°14h 41m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:49 AM89° E6:59 PM271° W54°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:10 AM119° ESE4:48 PM241° WSW30°9h 39m

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
January6:44 AM7:13 AM7:51 AM4:29 PM5:08 PM5:36 PM9h 56m
February6:23 AM6:49 AM7:25 AM5:05 PM5:41 PM6:08 PM10h 52m
March6:46 AM7:12 AM7:46 AM6:34 PM7:08 PM7:34 PM11h 56m
April6:00 AM6:27 AM7:02 AM7:00 PM7:35 PM8:01 PM13h 08m
May5:25 AM5:54 AM6:30 AM7:25 PM8:01 PM8:30 PM14h 08m
June5:11 AM5:42 AM6:20 AM7:43 PM8:21 PM8:52 PM14h 40m
July5:24 AM5:54 AM6:31 AM7:42 PM8:20 PM8:50 PM14h 26m
August5:51 AM6:18 AM6:54 AM7:17 PM7:53 PM8:20 PM13h 34m
September6:17 AM6:43 AM7:17 AM6:35 PM7:09 PM7:35 PM12h 26m
October6:42 AM7:08 AM7:43 AM5:50 PM6:25 PM6:51 PM11h 17m
November6:12 AM6:39 AM7:17 AM4:15 PM4:52 PM5:20 PM10h 13m
December6:38 AM7:06 AM7:47 AM4:06 PM4:46 PM5:15 PM9h 40m

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 M. Young Botanic Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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—0°—
February4:48 AM – 5:18 AM0.514°SE → SE
March4:04 AM – 5:44 AM1.721°SE → SSE
April1:56 AM – 4:46 AM2.824°SE → S
May12:03 AM – 4:03 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:13 PM – 3:43 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:07 PM – 2:17 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:28 PM – 12:18 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:37 PM – 10:17 PM1.721°SSW → SW
October7:51 PM – 8:21 PM0.514°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
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 ≈ 19.44 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 10% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (53%). 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 °F807889971091131161131131039076
Low °F212628323944505044382724
Precip. (in)2.32.31.91.00.40.10.00.00.10.61.22.5

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

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

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.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph M. Young Botanic Garden?
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 M. Young Botanic Garden?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:50 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:25 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:43 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at M. Young Botanic Garden?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 60° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from M. Young Botanic Garden?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at M. Young Botanic Garden?
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 M. Young Botanic Garden from Kerman?
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.