Located in Christian County, Missouri, Lawing is a ghost town at about 399 m (1,309 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Ozark, about 11.3 km (7.0 mi) away (Lawing lies SSE of town).
Lawing is an extinct town in Christian County, in the U.S. state of Missouri. The community was located on Logan Ridge along the south edge of the Springfield Plateau. Missouri Route W passes through the location and Christian Center is about one mile to the north. The city of Ozark is approximately seven miles to the north-northwest. A post office called Lawing was established in 1898, and remained in operation until 1917. The community was named after Billie Lawing, a pioneer citizen.From the Wikipedia article “Lawing, Missouri”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lawing 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 301° (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) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 60° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 42m |
| 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 | 5:00 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:46 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 27m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 39m |
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 Lawing, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. 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 | 5:11 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:18 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:27 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 2:31 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 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:34 PM | 0.5 | 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 ≈ 21.2 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 (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 | 72 | 76 | 83 | 92 | 94 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 90 | 81 | 73 |
| Low °F | -5 | -5 | 5 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 24 | 11 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Lawing, closest first.
Natural Arch
Ghost TownNatural ArchGhost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lawing?
What time is golden hour at Lawing?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lawing?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lawing?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lawing?
How far is Lawing from Ozark?
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.