Kuhnert Arboretum is a botanical garden in Brown County, South Dakota. It sits roughly 3.0 km (1.9 mi) SSE of Aberdeen.
Kuhnert Arboretum is a 19-acre (7.7 ha) arboretum and nature area located at the corner of Melgaard Road and Dakota Street South, Aberdeen, South Dakota. The arboretum contains deciduous, coniferous, and ornamental trees, as well as large shrubs.From the Wikipedia article “Kuhnert Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kuhnert Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 55° NE | 9:27 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:22 AM | 89° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:12 AM | 124° ESE | 4:54 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 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 | 7:38 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:58 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 06m |
| February | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:20 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:27 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:32 PM | 14h 53m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:25 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 39m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:57 PM | 15h 20m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 08m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:31 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:20 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 32m |
| December | 7:34 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:57 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:26 PM | 8h 44m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Kuhnert Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 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 6 (bright 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 | 5:39 AM – 5:59 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:39 AM – 4:49 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:39 AM – 3:49 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:02 AM – 3:02 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:45 PM – 1:45 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:40 PM – 11:50 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:29 PM – 9:49 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.12 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 50 | 64 | 82 | 90 | 100 | 109 | 115 | 109 | 102 | 87 | 73 | 51 |
| Low °F | -37 | -31 | -22 | 7 | 23 | 40 | 47 | 45 | 32 | 3 | -4 | -25 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kuhnert Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Kuhnert Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kuhnert Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kuhnert Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kuhnert Arboretum?
How far is Kuhnert Arboretum from Aberdeen?
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.