Cosmic Campground — a dark sky place in Catron County, New Mexico — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 59 km (37 mi) NE of Clifton. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary by DarkSky International.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cosmic Campground 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) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:07 AM | 61° ENE | 8:29 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:12 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:49 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 22m |
| July | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 10m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 26m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 57m |
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 Cosmic Campground, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:55 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:56 PM – 4:36 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:11 PM – 4:21 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:57 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:48 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:06 PM – 8:46 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: 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 October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 65 | 69 | 76 | 82 | 94 | 98 | 100 | 95 | 92 | 84 | 74 | 67 |
| Low °F | -10 | -4 | 11 | 18 | 23 | 37 | 47 | 44 | 32 | 18 | 12 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Cosmic Campground, closest first.
Wilderness Area
Natural Arch
Ghost Town
Hot Spring
Fire LookoutHot SpringHot SpringNatural Arch
National ForestFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cosmic Campground?
What time is golden hour at Cosmic Campground?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cosmic Campground?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cosmic Campground?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cosmic Campground?
How far is Cosmic Campground from Clifton?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.