Located in Franklin County, Missouri, Shaw Nature Reserve is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Gray Summit, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Shaw Nature Reserve lies SW of town).
Shaw Nature Reserve, formerly known as Shaw Arboretum, is a 2,400 acres (9.7 km2) private non-profit nature reserve located in Gray Summit, Missouri, that is operated as an extension of the Missouri Botanical Garden. The first piece of land, 1,300 acres (5.3 km2), was purchased in 1925 when pollution from coal smoke in St. Louis threatened the Garden's live plant collection, especially the orchid collection. The orchids were moved to what was then known as the Gray Summit Extension in 1926. The pollution in St. Louis decreased with the waning use of coal for heat, making it unnecessary to move the rest of the live plant collection. The Garden made five more land purchases between 1926 and 1977 amounting to the Nature Reserve's current size of 2,444 acres (9.89 km2).From the Wikipedia article “Shaw Nature Reserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Shaw Nature Reserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:40 AM | 59° ENE | 8:31 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 120° ESE | 4:46 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Shaw Nature Reserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:14 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:55 AM | 3.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:08 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.18 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 71 | 77 | 82 | 88 | 96 | 109 | 109 | 107 | 103 | 94 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | -9 | -11 | 4 | 20 | 33 | 47 | 53 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Shaw Nature Reserve, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
State ParkGhost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Shaw Nature Reserve?
What time is golden hour at Shaw Nature Reserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Shaw Nature Reserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Shaw Nature Reserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Shaw Nature Reserve?
How far is Shaw Nature Reserve from Gray Summit?
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.