El Morro National Monument is a dark sky place in Cibola County, New Mexico. It lies in or next to El Morro National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 40 km (25 mi) E of Black Rock. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
El Morro National Monument is a U.S. national monument in Cibola County, New Mexico, United States. Located on an ancient east–west trail in the western part of the state, the monument preserves the remains of a large prehistoric pueblo atop a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base, which subsequently became a landmark where over the centuries explorers and travelers have left personal inscriptions that survive today. Between about 1275 to 1350 AD, up to 600 people of the Ancestral Puebloan culture lived in the 355+-room mesa-top pueblo. The village was situated on the old Zuni-Acoma Trail, an important ancient trade route. Spanish explorers visiting the area in the 16th century referred to the notable promontory as El Morro ("The Headland"); the local Zuni people call it A'ts'ina ("Place of writings on the rock"), and early Anglo-Americans referred to it as...From the Wikipedia article “El Morro National Monument”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At El Morro 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 60° ENE | 8:31 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 119° ESE | 5:06 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 49m |
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 El Morro National Monument, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | 4:51 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:05 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:09 AM – 4:29 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:16 PM – 4:06 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:41 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:36 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:43 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.89 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 30% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (55%). 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 | 61 | 66 | 76 | 83 | 94 | 99 | 99 | 96 | 94 | 84 | 73 | 64 |
| Low °F | -3 | -5 | 11 | 18 | 22 | 33 | 49 | 47 | 29 | 13 | 10 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 El Morro National Monument, closest first.
Natural Arch
Waterfall
Volcano
Cave
CaveVolcanoVolcano
CaveNatural ArchCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph El Morro National Monument?
What time is golden hour at El Morro National Monument?
Where does the sun rise and set at El Morro National Monument?
Can you see the Milky Way from El Morro National Monument?
Do you need a permit to photograph at El Morro National Monument?
How far is El Morro National Monument from Black Rock?
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.