Black Star Canyon is a canyon in Orange County, California. The nearest town is Stonegate, about 8.8 km (5.5 mi) away (Black Star Canyon lies NE of town).
Black Star Canyon is a remote mountain canyon in the Santa Ana Mountains, located in eastern Orange County, California. It is a watershed of the Santa Ana River. Black Star Canyon is a popular destination for mountain bikers as well as hikers due to its wild scenery. The California Historical Landmark associated with the canyon refers to the village of Puhú.From the Wikipedia article “Black Star Canyon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Black Star Canyon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:52 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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
Canyons need light from above: rims glow at sunrise and sunset, while deep or narrow sections are brightest near midday when reflected light bounces off the walls.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Black Star Canyon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:40 AM – 4:50 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:42 PM – 4:12 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 3:48 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:44 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:20 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:23 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.74 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 |
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 canyon
- A long lens on a tripod handles the low light inside canyons better than raising ISO.
- From the rim, sunrise and sunset side-light reveals layers; a telephoto picks out buttes and shadows.
- In narrow canyons, reflected light creates orange and purple glows; avoid including bright sky in the frame.
- Check flash flood forecasts before entering slot or narrow canyons — rain miles away can flood them.
- Dust and sand are hard on gear; change lenses in a bag or with your back to the wind.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn are comfortable; summer monsoon storms bring dramatic skies but higher flood risk in the Southwest.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Wide and telephoto lenses, Lens blower, Weather radio or app. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Black Star Canyon, closest first.
Canyon
Canyon
Mountain PeakCanyon
Mountain PeakCanyonCanyon
WaterfallCanyonCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Black Star Canyon?
What time is golden hour at Black Star Canyon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Black Star Canyon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Black Star Canyon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Black Star Canyon?
How far is Black Star Canyon from Stonegate?
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.