Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge — a covered bridge in Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It dates from 1843.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 57° ENE | 8:26 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 121° ESE | 4:22 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 10m |
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
Covered bridges look their best with soft side-light and a backdrop of fall color, snow or fresh spring green.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 54m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:00 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 11m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:04 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 1:34 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 11:35 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 7:41 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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. Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 73 | 89 | 87 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 76 | 68 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -1 | 21 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 41 | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
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 covered bridge
- Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
- Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
- Overcast days keep contrast low between the dark interior and the bright surroundings.
- Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
- Shoot from the stream bank to show the bridge, the water and its reflection together.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Polarizer for foliage. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State Park
State Park
Lake
State Park
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge?
What time is golden hour at Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge?
How far is Norwich & Worcester Covered Railroad Bridge from Norwich?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.