Located in Benton County, Oregon, Peavy Arboretum is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Albany, about 10.2 km (6.3 mi) away (Peavy Arboretum lies WNW of town).
Peavy Arboretum (40 acres) is an arboretum operated by Oregon State University and located on Arboretum Road, Corvallis, Oregon. The arboretum is open to the public daily without charge. The arboretum was dedicated by the university in 1926, operated as a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp from 1933–1942, and reverted to College of Forestry management in 1964. While the CCC was active, they planted trees, expanded the nursery, constructed Cronemiller Lake, and built roads, trails, and firebreaks. The arboretum is named for George W. Peavy (1869–1951), the head of the OAC forestry department at the time of foundation.From the Wikipedia article “Peavy Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Peavy Arboretum 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) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 123° ESE | 4:36 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 48m |
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 | 8:33 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:12 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 49m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:13 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:07 PM | 8h 50m |
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 Peavy Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 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 5 (suburban 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:17 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:15 AM – 4:35 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:33 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:32 PM – 2:52 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:36 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 11:35 PM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:36 PM | 0.5 | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.29 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 Peavy Arboretum, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
Covered Bridge
National Wildlife Refuge
Covered Bridge
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Peavy Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Peavy Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Peavy Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Peavy Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Peavy Arboretum?
How far is Peavy Arboretum from Albany?
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.