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28.9681° N89.3775° WBortle 2Chicago

Burrwood Photography Guide

Ghost Town in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–298°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, Burrwood is a ghost town. It sits roughly 104 km (64 mi) ESE of Galliano.

Burrwood was a community located near the far south end of the delta of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. At one time the town had an estimated population of 1,000, but today it is uninhabited, with most of its territory fully or partially submerged by coastal erosion. The site of this former community is located at the following coordinates: 28°58′05″N 89°22′39″WFrom the Wikipedia article “Burrwood, Louisiana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Galliano
104 km (64 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
May
45% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:57 PM
sunset 6:29 PM

Light at Burrwood

Live
Sunrise
7:02 AM
Sunset
6:24 PM
Golden hour AM
6:48 AM – 7:34 AM
Golden hour PM
5:51 PM – 6:38 PM
Blue hour AM
6:38 AM – 6:48 AM
Blue hour PM
6:38 PM – 6:48 PM
Full darkness
7:43 PM – 5:44 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:09 PM / 1:35 AM
Day length
11h 21m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Burrwood the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 38° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:02 AM90° E7:09 PM271° W61°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:00 AM63° ENE8:00 PM298° WNW84°14h 00m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:47 AM89° E6:56 PM271° W61°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)6:48 AM117° ESE5:05 PM244° WSW38°10h 17m

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
January6:27 AM6:53 AM7:27 AM4:48 PM5:22 PM5:48 PM10h 30m
February6:13 AM6:37 AM7:10 AM5:15 PM5:48 PM6:12 PM11h 11m
March6:45 AM7:08 AM7:39 AM6:35 PM7:06 PM7:30 PM11h 58m
April6:08 AM6:32 AM7:04 AM6:52 PM7:24 PM7:48 PM12h 52m
May5:41 AM6:07 AM6:40 AM7:09 PM7:43 PM8:08 PM13h 36m
June5:32 AM5:59 AM6:34 AM7:24 PM7:58 PM8:25 PM13h 59m
July5:43 AM6:09 AM6:43 AM7:25 PM7:59 PM8:25 PM13h 49m
August6:02 AM6:27 AM6:59 AM7:06 PM7:39 PM8:04 PM13h 12m
September6:19 AM6:43 AM7:14 AM6:33 PM7:04 PM7:28 PM12h 21m
October6:35 AM6:59 AM7:31 AM5:57 PM6:29 PM6:53 PM11h 30m
November5:57 AM6:22 AM6:56 AM4:30 PM5:04 PM5:29 PM10h 43m
December6:18 AM6:44 AM7:20 AM4:27 PM5:03 PM5:29 PM10h 18m

Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Burrwood, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February4:18 AM – 5:08 AM0.819°SE → SE
March3:26 AM – 5:46 AM2.329°SE → SSE
April1:17 AM – 5:07 AM3.832°SE → S
May11:22 PM – 4:32 AM5.232°SE → SSW
June9:34 PM – 4:24 AM6.832°SE → SW
July9:32 PM – 2:52 AM5.332°SSE → SW
August9:04 PM – 12:54 AM3.832°S → SW
September8:24 PM – 10:54 PM2.529°SSW → SW
October7:48 PM – 8:48 PM1.020°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
DecemberBelow 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (69%). August 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 °F757777808487908988868177
Low °F424646556275797871625349
Precip. (in)3.83.74.23.83.25.36.06.95.73.93.64.3

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

  • For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
  • 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.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

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 Burrwood, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Burrwood?
May 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 Burrwood?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:57 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:29 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:31 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Burrwood?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Burrwood?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Burrwood?
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 Burrwood from Galliano?
About 104 km (64 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.