Located in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, Longue Vue House and Gardens is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Metairie, about 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away (Longue Vue House and Gardens lies ESE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Longue Vue House and Gardens, also known as Longue Vue, is a historic house museum and associated gardens in the Lakewood neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The former home of philanthropists Edgar Stern and Edith Rosenwald Stern (daughter of Julius Rosenwald), the current house is the second on the property. The original house and gardens began in 1924. In 1934, landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman began to work with the Sterns on the designs of their gardens. Through the re-working of the gardens the Sterns decided that their house did not allow them to fully enjoy their new grounds, and the original house was subsequently moved and a new one erected in its place starting in 1939, completed in 1942. This new house was designed by architects William and Geoffrey Platt whose father, Charles A. Platt, was Shipman's mentor. The four facades of the house have...From the Wikipedia article “Longue Vue House and Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Longue Vue House and 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 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 62° ENE | 8:05 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 117° ESE | 5:06 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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 | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 54m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 14m |
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 Longue Vue House and Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-city 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:57 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:47 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.98 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (58%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 78 | 81 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 93 | 91 | 83 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 29 | 30 | 40 | 48 | 67 | 72 | 64 | 59 | 42 | 32 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
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.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- 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 Longue Vue House and Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Natural Arch
State Park
Lake
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Longue Vue House and Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Longue Vue House and Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Longue Vue House and Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Longue Vue House and Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Longue Vue House and Gardens?
How far is Longue Vue House and Gardens from Metairie?
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.