Meadowburn Farm — a botanical garden in Sussex County, New Jersey — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.8 km (2.4 mi) E of Vernon Valley. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Meadowburn Farm is a historic 5-acre (2.0 ha) farmstead located on Meadowburn Road in Vernon Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 1993, for its significance in landscape architecture and literature. The flower gardens were first created by the author and gardener Helena Rutherfurd Ely.From the Wikipedia article “Meadowburn Farm”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Meadowburn Farm the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 57° ENE | 8:35 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:01 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Meadowburn Farm, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:37 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 3:44 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 1:52 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:43 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 7:50 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.43 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 64 | 70 | 72 | 90 | 88 | 94 | 99 | 101 | 95 | 88 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -14 | -19 | -8 | 18 | 28 | 37 | 47 | 48 | 37 | 21 | 5 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 4.1 |
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 Meadowburn Farm, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
National Wildlife Refuge
Lake
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Fire LookoutFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Meadowburn Farm?
What time is golden hour at Meadowburn Farm?
Where does the sun rise and set at Meadowburn Farm?
Can you see the Milky Way from Meadowburn Farm?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Meadowburn Farm?
How far is Meadowburn Farm from Vernon Valley?
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.