Located in Caldwell County, Missouri, Far West is a ghost town. The nearest town is Cameron, about 12.1 km (7.5 mi) away (Far West lies SE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Far West was a settlement of the Latter Day Saint movement in Caldwell County, Missouri, United States, during the late 1830s. It is recognized as a historic site by the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, added to the register in 1970. It is owned and maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.From the Wikipedia article “Far West, Missouri”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Far West the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 58° ENE | 8:48 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:35 AM | 120° ESE | 4:56 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 23m |
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 Far West, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 5:54 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 5:02 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 3:39 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:41 PM – 2:21 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:19 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.41 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 71 | 75 | 81 | 88 | 97 | 107 | 109 | 110 | 103 | 93 | 77 | 73 |
| Low °F | -16 | -10 | -4 | 17 | 31 | 45 | 52 | 48 | 38 | 22 | 9 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 4.1 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 3.9 | 5.1 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
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 Far West, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Far West?
What time is golden hour at Far West?
Where does the sun rise and set at Far West?
Can you see the Milky Way from Far West?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Far West?
How far is Far West from Cameron?
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.