Mounts Botanical Garden
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26.6853° N80.1135° WBortle 7New York

Mounts Botanical Garden Photography Guide

Botanical Garden in Palm Beach County, Florida

  • Bortle 7 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–297°
  • Clearest: November
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: FriendsofMBG · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Mounts Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Palm Beach County, Florida. It sits roughly 900 m SE of Haverhill.

Mounts Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in West Palm Beach, Florida, United States. It is Palm Beach County's oldest and largest public garden, with over 7,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants from six continents, including plants native to Florida, exotic trees, tropical fruit, herbs, citrus and palms. Mounts Botanical is part of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Department, in partnership with the University of Florida / IFAS and the nonprofit Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden, Inc.From the Wikipedia article “Mounts Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Haverhill
900 m
Sky darkness
Bortle 7
Suburban / urban transition
Clearest month
November
41% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
7.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:22 PM
sunset 6:53 PM

Light at Mounts Botanical Garden

Live
Sunrise
7:23 AM
Sunset
6:49 PM
Golden hour AM
7:09 AM – 7:55 AM
Golden hour PM
6:17 PM – 7:03 PM
Blue hour AM
7:00 AM – 7:09 AM
Blue hour PM
7:03 PM – 7:12 PM
Full darkness
8:06 PM – 6:06 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:28 PM / 2:01 AM
Day length
11h 25m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. 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 Mounts Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:25 AM90° E7:32 PM270° W63°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:28 AM63° ENE8:18 PM297° WNW87°13h 49m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:10 AM89° E7:18 PM271° W64°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:05 AM116° ESE5:33 PM244° WSW40°10h 28m

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
January6:46 AM7:11 AM7:45 AM5:16 PM5:50 PM6:15 PM10h 39m
February6:34 AM6:58 AM7:29 AM5:42 PM6:13 PM6:37 PM11h 16m
March7:08 AM7:31 AM8:01 AM6:59 PM7:30 PM7:53 PM11h 59m
April6:34 AM6:57 AM7:28 AM7:14 PM7:45 PM8:08 PM12h 47m
May6:09 AM6:34 AM7:07 AM7:29 PM8:01 PM8:26 PM13h 27m
June6:01 AM6:28 AM7:01 AM7:42 PM8:16 PM8:42 PM13h 48m
July6:11 AM6:37 AM7:10 AM7:44 PM8:17 PM8:43 PM13h 40m
August6:29 AM6:53 AM7:25 AM7:27 PM7:59 PM8:23 PM13h 05m
September6:44 AM7:07 AM7:37 AM6:56 PM7:26 PM7:50 PM12h 20m
October6:57 AM7:20 AM7:52 AM6:22 PM6:53 PM7:17 PM11h 33m
November6:16 AM6:41 AM7:14 AM4:58 PM5:31 PM5:56 PM10h 51m
December6:37 AM7:02 AM7:37 AM4:56 PM5:31 PM5:56 PM10h 28m

Local time (America/New York), 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 Mounts Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:31 AM – 5:31 AM1.021°SE → SE
March3:36 AM – 6:06 AM2.531°SE → SSE
April1:35 AM – 5:35 AM4.034°SE → S
May11:37 PM – 4:57 AM5.334°SE → SSW
June9:47 PM – 4:47 AM7.034°SE → SW
July9:46 PM – 3:26 AM5.734°SSE → SW
August9:21 PM – 1:21 AM4.034°S → SW
September8:44 PM – 11:24 PM2.731°SSW → SW
October8:10 PM – 9:20 PM1.222°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—6°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-17°—

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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.68 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (64%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F858794959898969492908986
Low °F283336495769737367464231
Precip. (in)1.61.92.22.44.47.86.77.26.73.51.81.8

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.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Mounts Botanical Garden, closest first.

Unbelievable Acres Botanic GardensBotanical Garden
Unbelievable Acres Botanic Gardens2.9 km away · Palm Beach County
Society of the Four ArtsBotanical Garden
Society of the Four Arts7.5 km away · Palm Beach County
John D. MacArthur Beach State ParkState Park
John D. MacArthur Beach State Park18 km away · Palm Beach County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Mounts Botanical Garden?
November 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 Mounts Botanical Garden?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:22 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:53 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:52 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Mounts Botanical Garden?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 116° in December; sunset ranges from 297° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Mounts Botanical Garden?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mounts Botanical 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 Mounts Botanical Garden from Haverhill?
About 900 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.