Como Park Zoo and Conservatory — a botanical garden in Ramsey County, Minnesota — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.7 km (1.1 mi) SE of Falcon Heights. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory (also known as the Como Zoo and Conservatory) are located in Como Park at 1225 Estabrook Drive in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The park, zoo and conservatory are owned by the City of Saint Paul and are a division of Saint Paul Parks and Recreation. Its attractions include a zoo, a conservatory, an amusement park, a carousel, Lake Como, a golf course, a pool and more. The park receives more than 1.9 million visitors annually. Como Park is a free attraction, and while no admission fee is charged for the zoo or conservatory, voluntary donations of $8 per adult and $5 child are suggested.From the Wikipedia article “Como Park Zoo and Conservatory”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Como Park Zoo and Conservatory the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 55° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:24 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:35 PM – 2:45 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:19 PM – 1:29 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:26 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:26 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.12 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 50 | 61 | 80 | 89 | 96 | 96 | 107 | 100 | 96 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | -37 | -27 | -23 | 4 | 24 | 41 | 46 | 43 | 32 | 12 | -4 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
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 Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, closest first.
Lake
Botanical Garden
Lake
Waterfall
Lake
Cave
Lake
WaterfallWaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Como Park Zoo and Conservatory?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory?
Can you see the Milky Way from Como Park Zoo and Conservatory?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory?
How far is Como Park Zoo and Conservatory from Falcon Heights?
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.