Payson Park is a botanical garden in Cumberland County, Maine. It sits roughly 2.8 km (1.7 mi) NNW of Portland.
Edward Payson Park is a 47.5-acre (19.2 ha) public park in the Back Cove neighborhood of Portland, Maine. The park is bordered by Ocean Avenue to the north and Baxter Boulevard to the south. The offices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland are located across from the park on Ocean Avenue.From the Wikipedia article “Payson Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Payson Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:00 AM | 56° NE | 8:27 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:29 AM | 89° E | 6:40 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 123° ESE | 4:08 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 55m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:44 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:24 AM | 5:00 AM | 5:44 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:01 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 4:39 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 08m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:18 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:38 PM | 8h 57m |
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 Payson Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:29 AM – 4:09 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 3:03 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 2:28 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:35 PM – 1:15 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:08 PM | 1.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:12 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 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: 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 ≈ 18.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 95 | 94 | 79 | 68 | 62 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | -6 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 25 | 8 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Payson Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
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Covered BridgeWaterfall
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Lighthouse
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Payson Park?
What time is golden hour at Payson Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Payson Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Payson Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Payson Park?
How far is Payson Park from Portland?
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.