Obed Wild and Scenic River — a dark sky place in Morgan County, Tennessee — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Fairfield Glade, about 17.5 km (10.9 mi) away (Obed Wild and Scenic River lies ENE of town). It is certified as an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Obed Wild and Scenic River 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 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) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 60° ENE | 9:00 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 119° ESE | 5:29 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:28 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:16 PM | 9h 59m |
| February | 7:01 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:12 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:28 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 6:05 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:26 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Obed Wild and Scenic River, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | 5:27 AM – 5:57 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:32 AM – 6:22 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:39 AM – 4:49 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:48 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:42 PM – 3:02 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:05 PM – 1:05 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 11:05 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:30 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.58 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 69 | 72 | 82 | 83 | 91 | 103 | 103 | 101 | 99 | 96 | 83 | 72 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 3 | 21 | 30 | 43 | 51 | 49 | 37 | 24 | 10 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.1 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 5.7 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.9 |
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 Obed Wild and Scenic River, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Ghost Town
State Park
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Obed Wild and Scenic River?
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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.