Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens — a botanical garden in El Paso County, Texas — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is El Paso, about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away (Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens lies WNW of town).
The Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens is a cultural history and natural history museum on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas, United States.The museum was built in 1936 to commemorate the centenary of Texas independence, making it the oldest museum in El Paso. The Centennial Museum is an academic support and outreach unit of The University of Texas at El Paso focusing primarily on the natural and cultural history of the Chihuahuan Desert. It promotes and shares knowledge and understanding of the natural diversity of the region and its people. The museum meets its responsibilities through the presentation and curation of the permanent collections, including the Chihuahuan Desert Gardens. Furthermore, the museum promotes the scholarly research of UTEP students, faculty, and alumni, and supports the general mission of The University of Texas...From the Wikipedia article “Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 62° ENE | 8:15 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 117° ESE | 5:07 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 04m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 18m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 46m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 02m |
| August | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 05m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | 4:35 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:46 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:10 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 4:30 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:50 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:19 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:46 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 18.8 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (50%). 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 | 74 | 82 | 89 | 95 | 102 | 108 | 108 | 106 | 100 | 94 | 85 | 74 |
| Low °F | 20 | 6 | 19 | 29 | 37 | 55 | 60 | 60 | 48 | 27 | 20 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
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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.