Chadwick Arboretum — a botanical garden in Franklin County, Ohio at about 228 m (748 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.2 km (2.0 mi) ENE of Upper Arlington.
Chadwick Arboretum is a 62 acres (25 ha) arboretum on the Agriculture campus of Ohio State University, in Columbus, Ohio, United States. The main arboretum collection is located just across Lane Avenue from the Schottenstein Center with its other collections nearby. The arboretum is open daily without charge. The arboretum proper contains roughly 1,000 trees representing over 120 species that grow throughout Ohio, with special collections of conifers and willows. As of 2005, it contained one Ohio State Champion tree, Abies cephalonica. The arboretum also includes a Learning Garden and specialized gardens for annuals, hostas, perennials, roses, and wildflowers. Taken together, these gardens represent one of the most varied collections of flora in the state, with good selections of native Ohio plants, perennials, tropical plants, wildflowers, woody plants, and more than 400 cultivars...From the Wikipedia article “Chadwick Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chadwick Arboretum 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 58° ENE | 9:05 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 121° ESE | 5:11 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 19m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:01 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:33 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:16 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:31 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Chadwick Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:39 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:49 AM – 6:09 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:51 AM – 4:21 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:06 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:58 PM – 2:28 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:12 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 10:25 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 8:34 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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: 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 ≈ 18.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 63 | 71 | 80 | 81 | 89 | 99 | 101 | 97 | 95 | 90 | 78 | 69 |
| Low °F | -14 | -8 | 2 | 19 | 25 | 39 | 48 | 47 | 38 | 27 | 10 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 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
- 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.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Chadwick Arboretum, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Cave
State Park
Covered BridgeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chadwick Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Chadwick Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chadwick Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chadwick Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chadwick Arboretum?
How far is Chadwick Arboretum from Upper Arlington?
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.