Located in Essex County, New Jersey, Van Vleck House and Gardens is a botanical garden.
Van Vleck House and Gardens is a former private estate run as a non-profit community resource in Montclair in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It features a public botanical garden of mostly ericaceous plants that has been developed over several generations. The display of rhododendrons and azaleas shows numerous hybrids, several named after members of the Van Vleck family. The property had been in the hands of the Van Vleck family until 1993 when it was turned over to The Montclair Foundation. The main house, built in 1916 by Joseph Van Vleck Jr. as a Mediterranean villa, is available for events by non-profit organizations. A Chinese wisteria that was planted in 1939 climbs around the pillars of the back portico.From the Wikipedia article “Van Vleck House and Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Van Vleck House and Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (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 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 58° ENE | 8:33 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 121° ESE | 4:33 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:06 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 16m |
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 Van Vleck House and Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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 9 (inner-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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:35 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:40 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:37 PM – 3:17 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:48 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 11:50 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.71 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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 Van Vleck House and Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Botanical Garden
Mountain Pass
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Van Vleck House and Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Van Vleck House and Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Van Vleck House and Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Van Vleck House and Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Van Vleck House and Gardens?
How far is Van Vleck House and Gardens from Montclair?
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.