Looking from north to east toward the old grain elevators in the extinct town of Corwin in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. Image is a composite of three photos join
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40.2514° N86.9144° WBortle 4Indianapolis

Corwin Photography Guide

Ghost Town in Tippecanoe County, Indiana

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) · Public domain · source

Corwin is a ghost town in Tippecanoe County, Indiana. The nearest town is Shadeland, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Corwin lies SSE of town).

Corwin was a small town, now extinct, in Randolph Township, Tippecanoe County, in the U.S. state of Indiana.From the Wikipedia article “Corwin, Tippecanoe County, Indiana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Shadeland
13.9 km (8.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
44% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:32 PM
sunset 7:09 PM

Light at Corwin

Live
Sunrise
8:04 AM
Sunset
7:02 PM
Golden hour AM
7:47 AM – 8:42 AM
Golden hour PM
6:25 PM – 7:19 PM
Blue hour AM
7:37 AM – 7:47 AM
Blue hour PM
7:19 PM – 7:30 PM
Full darkness
8:33 PM – 6:35 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:17 PM / 2:03 AM
Day length
10h 58m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Corwin the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:52 AM90° E8:00 PM271° W50°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:19 AM58° ENE9:21 PM302° WNW73°15h 03m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:36 AM89° E7:47 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:08 AM121° ESE5:25 PM240° WSW26°9h 18m

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

Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:39 AM8:09 AM8:51 AM5:05 PM5:46 PM6:16 PM9h 37m
February7:14 AM7:42 AM8:20 AM5:46 PM6:23 PM6:51 PM10h 42m
March7:33 AM8:00 AM8:36 AM7:19 PM7:55 PM8:22 PM11h 55m
April6:42 AM7:10 AM7:47 AM7:50 PM8:26 PM8:55 PM13h 16m
May6:02 AM6:33 AM7:12 AM8:18 PM8:57 PM9:28 PM14h 24m
June5:45 AM6:18 AM6:59 AM8:39 PM9:20 PM9:53 PM15h 01m
July5:59 AM6:31 AM7:11 AM8:37 PM9:17 PM9:49 PM14h 46m
August6:30 AM7:00 AM7:37 AM8:09 PM8:46 PM9:16 PM13h 47m
September7:02 AM7:29 AM8:05 AM7:22 PM7:58 PM8:26 PM12h 29m
October7:31 AM7:59 AM8:36 AM6:32 PM7:09 PM7:37 PM11h 10m
November7:05 AM7:34 AM8:14 AM4:52 PM5:32 PM6:01 PM9h 58m
December7:33 AM8:04 AM8:47 AM4:40 PM5:23 PM5:54 PM9h 19m

Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Corwin, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February6:05 AM – 6:05 AM0.011°SE → SE
March5:16 AM – 6:26 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April3:14 AM – 5:24 AM2.220°SE → S
May1:09 AM – 4:39 AM3.521°SE → S
June11:24 PM – 4:14 AM4.821°SE → SSW
July11:16 PM – 2:46 AM3.521°S → SW
August10:29 PM – 12:49 AM2.320°S → SW
September9:31 PM – 10:41 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October8:40 PM – 8:50 PM0.211°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.98 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (74%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F64698182921041049698907770
Low °F-19-18-12124384646372510-8
Precip. (in)2.62.63.04.14.35.04.13.93.13.23.02.9

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 ghost town

  • Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
  • Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
  • Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
  • Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
  • For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.

Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Permits, drones & access

Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Corwin, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Corwin?
September has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Corwin?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:32 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:09 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:36 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Corwin?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Corwin?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Corwin?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Corwin from Shadeland?
About 13.9 km (8.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: 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.