Sarah P. Duke Gardens is a botanical garden in Durham County, North Carolina. It sits roughly 3.3 km (2.1 mi) WNW of Durham.
The Sarah P. Duke Gardens consist of approximately 55 acres (22 ha) of landscaped and wooded areas at Duke University located in Durham, North Carolina. There are 5 miles (8 km) of allées, walks, and pathways throughout the gardens. The gardens are divided into four areas, the Historic Core and Terraces, the H.L Blomquist Garden of Native Plants, the William Louis Culberson Asiatic Arboretum and the Doris Duke Center Gardens (including the Page-Rollins White Garden). The gardens are a memorial to Sarah Pearson Angier Duke, mother of Mary Duke Biddle and wife of Benjamin N. Duke, one of Duke University's benefactors.From the Wikipedia article “Sarah P. Duke Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sarah P. Duke Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 60° ENE | 8:36 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 119° ESE | 5:06 PM | 241° WSW | 31° | 9h 43m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 04m |
| June | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 35m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 22m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 32m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 44m |
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 Sarah P. Duke Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:59 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:10 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:25 PM – 4:05 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:42 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 10:42 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:37 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 73 | 77 | 84 | 89 | 95 | 105 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 101 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | -2 | 24 | 35 | 47 | 56 | 53 | 41 | 27 | 19 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
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 Sarah P. Duke Gardens, closest first.
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lake
State Park
Lake
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sarah P. Duke Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Sarah P. Duke Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sarah P. Duke Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sarah P. Duke Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sarah P. Duke Gardens?
How far is Sarah P. Duke Gardens from Durham?
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.