Nucla — a dark sky place in Montrose County, Colorado — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Montrose, about 63 km (39 mi) away (Nucla lies WSW of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International.
Nucla is a statutory town in Montrose County, Colorado, United States. The population was 585 as of the 2020 census, down from 711 in 2010. Its name comes from the town founders' intent that it serve as a "nucleus" for the surrounding farms and mines, although it has since come to be associated with the growth of uranium mining in the region.From the Wikipedia article “Nucla, Colorado”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nucla the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:28 AM | 120° ESE | 4:58 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 30m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 48m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 49m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 34m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 07m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 31m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Nucla, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:19 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:24 AM – 4:14 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 55 | 58 | 73 | 80 | 93 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 93 | 82 | 70 | 55 |
| Low °F | -14 | -10 | -4 | 15 | 20 | 31 | 43 | 44 | 26 | 6 | -1 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 1.4 |
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 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.
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Nucla, closest first.
Dark Sky Place
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
Dark Sky Place
Natural ArchNatural Arch
CanyonFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nucla?
What time is golden hour at Nucla?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nucla?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nucla?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nucla?
How far is Nucla from Montrose?
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.