Tumacácori National Historical Park is a dark sky place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. It lies in or next to Tumacácori National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tubac, about 5.0 km (3.1 mi) away (Tumacácori National Historical Park lies S of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Tumacácori National Historical Park is located in the upper Santa Cruz River Valley in Santa Cruz County, southern Arizona. The park consists of 360 acres (1.5 km2) in three separate units. The park protects the ruins of three Spanish mission communities, two of which are National Historic Landmark sites. It also contains the landmark 1937 Tumacácori Museum building, also a National Historic Landmark.From the Wikipedia article “Tumacácori National Historical Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Tumacácori National Historical Park 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) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 62° ENE | 7:33 PM | 299° WNW | 82° | 14h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:22 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 117° ESE | 5:26 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 05m |
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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 19m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 57m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 13h 46m |
| June | 4:52 AM | 5:20 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 12m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 14h 01m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:35 PM | 13h 19m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 5:21 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 33m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 06m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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 Tumacácori National Historical Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:03 AM – 5:03 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:58 AM – 4:28 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 10:57 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.8 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:10 PM – 3:40 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:07 PM – 2:07 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:36 PM – 12:06 AM | 3.5 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 7:53 PM – 10:03 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:14 PM – 8:04 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 17% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (56%). June 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 | 80 | 85 | 91 | 98 | 106 | 111 | 108 | 105 | 104 | 100 | 90 | 82 |
| Low °F | 19 | 15 | 27 | 32 | 39 | 53 | 59 | 61 | 51 | 33 | 23 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.0 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Tumacácori National Historical Park, closest first.
State Park
Ghost Town
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Ghost Town
Fire Lookout
LakeState Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Tumacácori National Historical Park?
What time is golden hour at Tumacácori National Historical Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Tumacácori National Historical Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Tumacácori National Historical Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Tumacácori National Historical Park?
How far is Tumacácori National Historical Park from Tubac?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.