Mount Airy Arboretum is a botanical garden in Hamilton County, Ohio. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) ESE of Monfort Heights.
Mt. Airy Arboretum, 120 acres (0.49 km2), is an arboretum set within Mt. Airy Forest (1,470 acres), a public park located at 5083 Colerain Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. The arboretum is open daily without charge. The arboretum began in 1911 when the Cincinnati Park Board purchased 168 acres (0.7 km2) of land for reforestation and conservation. It has since expanded to 1,469.913 acres (5.95 km2), of which 700 acres (2.8 km2) are reforested in hardwoods, 200 acres (0.8 km2) reforested in evergreens, 269 acres (1.1 km2) in native woodland, 170 acres (0.7 km2) of open meadows, and 120 acres (0.5 km2) operated as an arboretum proper. The arboretum includes more than 5,000 plants representing 1,600 species and varieties of woody plants. It contains one of the finest dwarf conifer collection in the Midwest, set around a 1-acre (4,000 m2) pond. Other collections include ash, azalea, birch,...From the Wikipedia article “Mount Airy Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mount Airy Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 58° ENE | 9:09 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 120° ESE | 5:19 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:09 PM | 9h 43m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:26 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:56 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 19m |
| June | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 40m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:25 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 26m |
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 Mount Airy Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:53 AM – 4:33 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 4:07 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:59 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:30 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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 7.0+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 73 | 81 | 83 | 87 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 94 | 79 | 70 |
| Low °F | -12 | -8 | 5 | 22 | 26 | 41 | 49 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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 Mount Airy Arboretum, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Covered Bridge
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mount Airy Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Mount Airy Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mount Airy Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mount Airy Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mount Airy Arboretum?
How far is Mount Airy Arboretum from Monfort Heights?
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.