University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a botanical garden in Carver County, Minnesota at about 296 m (971 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 3.7 km (2.3 mi) E of Victoria.
The University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is a 1,200-acre (4.9 km2) horticultural garden and arboretum located about 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Chanhassen, Minnesota at 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, Minnesota. It is part of the Department of Horticultural Science in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the University of Minnesota, and open to the public every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas. An admission fee is charged, and annual memberships are available. The arboretum's earliest area was established in 1907 as the Horticultural Research Center, which developed cold-hardy crops such as the Honeycrisp apple and Northern Lights azaleas. In 1958 the arboretum itself was begun on 160 acres (0.65 km2) founded by Leon C. Snyder. The arboretum is the largest, most diverse, and most complete horticultural site in Minnesota, with more than...From the Wikipedia article “University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum 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 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:29 AM | 55° NE | 9:05 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 123° ESE | 4:37 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:40 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:08 PM | 8h 49m |
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 University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 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 6 (bright suburban 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 | 5:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:33 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:32 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:37 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:36 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:37 PM | 0.5 | 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: 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 ≈ 19.09 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.
- 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 University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, closest first.
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Scenic Viewpoint
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum?
How far is University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from Victoria?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.