Located in Union County, New Mexico, Capulin Volcano National Monument is a dark sky place. It lies in or next to Capulin Volcano National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Raton, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Capulin Volcano National Monument lies ESE of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Capulin Volcano National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located in northeastern New Mexico, 30 miles (48 km) east of Raton. It encompasses around 800 acres (320 ha) of land that includes an extinct cinder cone volcano and is part of the Raton-Clayton volcanic field. The volcano and surrounding area was established as a national monument by president Woodrow Wilson in 1916.From the Wikipedia article “Capulin Volcano National Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Capulin Volcano National Monument the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 60° ENE | 8:19 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 119° ESE | 4:44 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:07 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:07 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Capulin Volcano National Monument, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:52 AM – 4:42 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:33 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 35% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (52%). July 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 | 67 | 73 | 80 | 89 | 97 | 102 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 88 | 80 | 70 |
| Low °F | 4 | -6 | 6 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 49 | 48 | 29 | 13 | 9 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Capulin Volcano National Monument, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Capulin Volcano National Monument?
What time is golden hour at Capulin Volcano National Monument?
Where does the sun rise and set at Capulin Volcano National Monument?
Can you see the Milky Way from Capulin Volcano National Monument?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Capulin Volcano National Monument?
How far is Capulin Volcano National Monument from Raton?
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.