Located in Bexar County, Texas, San Antonio Botanical Garden is a botanical garden at about 235 m (771 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 1.9 km (1.2 mi) SSW of Terrell Hills.
The San Antonio Botanical Garden is a 41-acre (17 ha), non-profit botanical garden in San Antonio, Texas, United States, and the city's official botanical garden. The garden is situated on one of the highest points within San Antonio city limits, sitting at around 798 ft (243.2 m)From the Wikipedia article “San Antonio Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Antonio Botanical Garden 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 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:39 AM | 90° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 62° ENE | 8:37 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:25 AM | 117° ESE | 5:40 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 15m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:05 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 28m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:21 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 37m |
| June | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 01m |
| July | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:03 PM | 13h 51m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:51 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:04 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 41m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 16m |
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 San Antonio Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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 | 4:54 AM – 5:44 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 6:22 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:04 AM – 5:44 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 5:10 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:52 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 1:31 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.3 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 9:24 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.71 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). August 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 | 84 | 95 | 95 | 103 | 105 | 109 | 110 | 112 | 108 | 99 | 90 | 84 |
| Low °F | 20 | 18 | 22 | 34 | 43 | 61 | 64 | 65 | 51 | 34 | 25 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 San Antonio Botanical Garden, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Antonio Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at San Antonio Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Antonio Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Antonio Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Antonio Botanical Garden?
How far is San Antonio Botanical Garden from Terrell Hills?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.