Green Bay Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Brown County, Wisconsin. The nearest town is Howard, about 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away (Green Bay Botanical Garden lies SSW of town).
Green Bay Botanical Garden (47 acres) is a nonprofit botanical garden located at 2600 Larsen Road, Green Bay, Wisconsin. It is open daily in the warmer months, or weekdays in the colder months; an admission fee is charged. The gardens opened in 1996 on a site that was previously Larsen Orchard.From the Wikipedia article “Green Bay Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Green Bay Botanical Garden 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) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 55° NE | 8:42 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 123° ESE | 4:16 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:12 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:24 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:34 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:11 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:47 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Green Bay Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:25 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:43 AM – 4:13 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:50 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:07 PM – 2:37 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:53 PM – 1:13 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:53 PM – 11:13 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:14 PM | 0.5 | 13° | 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 ≈ 18.82 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 47 | 60 | 78 | 80 | 87 | 93 | 99 | 97 | 91 | 84 | 72 | 61 |
| Low °F | -40 | -26 | -20 | 5 | 26 | 36 | 46 | 42 | 31 | 21 | 1 | -27 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
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.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Green Bay Botanical Garden, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Natural Arch
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Green Bay Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at Green Bay Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Green Bay Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Green Bay Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Green Bay Botanical Garden?
How far is Green Bay Botanical Garden from Howard?
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.