Bush's Pasture Park is a botanical garden in Marion County, Oregon. The nearest town is Salem, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Bush's Pasture Park lies S of town).
Bush's Pasture Park (90.5 acres) is a public park and botanical garden in Salem, Oregon, United States. It is the site of the Asahel Bush House, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and is now operated as the Bush House Museum.From the Wikipedia article “Bush's Pasture Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bush's Pasture Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:16 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:26 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:00 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 123° ESE | 4:34 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:11 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 35m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:25 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 16m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:06 PM | 8h 48m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Bush's Pasture Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 3:24 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:17 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:25 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 18.48 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 July as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Bush's Pasture Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lake
Ghost Town
State Park
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bush's Pasture Park?
What time is golden hour at Bush's Pasture Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bush's Pasture Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bush's Pasture Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bush's Pasture Park?
How far is Bush's Pasture Park from Salem?
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.