Compton — a ghost town in Webster County, Missouri at about 398 m (1,306 ft) above sea level — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Strafford, about 8.1 km (5.0 mi) away (Compton lies ESE of town).
Compton is a historic community in western Webster County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. The post office was located at different locations in the area. One site was located along the bank of the James River along Missouri Route B, but a second location is approximately three-quarters of a mile to the southeast above Compton Branch (a tributary of the James). This second location is within or adjacent to the Compton Hollow Conservation Area and about three miles south of Northview. The Compton Limestone geologic formation was named for the community, because the type sections defining the unit were located in the vicinity. A post office called Compton was established in 1884, and remained in operation until 1906. The community has the name of John Compton, the original owner of the town site.From the Wikipedia article “Compton, Missouri”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Compton the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:53 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 119° ESE | 4:59 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 9h 53m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 10m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 43m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 29m |
| August | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 37m |
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 Compton, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:28 PM – 3:58 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:22 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:32 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:30 PM | 1.7 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:03 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.3 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.22 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 94 | 89 | 104 | 108 | 113 | 103 | 90 | 81 | 71 |
| Low °F | -14 | -10 | 2 | 20 | 31 | 48 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 18 | 8 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.8 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.1 | 2.5 |
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 Compton, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Compton?
What time is golden hour at Compton?
Where does the sun rise and set at Compton?
Can you see the Milky Way from Compton?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Compton?
How far is Compton from Strafford?
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.