Comertown — a ghost town in Sheridan County, Montana — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 27 km (17 mi) ENE of Plentywood. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Comertown is an unincorporated community in northeastern Sheridan County, Montana, United States. It was founded in 1913. Comertown is at an altitude of 2,270 feet (692 m). Although the land around Comertown attracted numerous homesteaders during the first years following the railroad's completion, the region proved to be unsuited for intensive agricultural use, and by the 1920s Comertown was in decline. The post office at Comertown operated from November 14, 1914, to June 30, 1957. A school and a cemetery were also established at Comertown. In 1993, the entire community was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district.From the Wikipedia article “Comertown, Montana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Comertown the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 309° (NW) in June to 234° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:54 AM | 52° NE | 9:05 PM | 309° NW | 65° | 16h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 41° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 126° SE | 4:03 PM | 234° SW | 18° | 8h 14m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:04 PM | 8h 42m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 12m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 42m |
| May | 4:38 AM | 5:16 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:11 PM | 15h 17m |
| June | 4:11 AM | 4:54 AM | 5:43 AM | 8:13 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:46 PM | 16h 10m |
| July | 4:30 AM | 5:10 AM | 5:58 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 47m |
| August | 5:15 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 24m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 38m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 51m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 11m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:40 AM | 3:06 PM | 4:01 PM | 4:38 PM | 8h 16m |
Local time (America/Denver), 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 Comertown, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from May through July. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 12° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| April | 3:48 AM – 3:58 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:57 AM – 2:37 AM | 0.7 | 12° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 2.5 | 12° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:58 PM – 12:28 AM | 0.5 | 11° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 10:25 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 54 | 63 | 77 | 89 | 92 | 100 | 107 | 105 | 97 | 84 | 69 | 52 |
| Low °F | -34 | -32 | -26 | 0 | 23 | 37 | 46 | 41 | 26 | 5 | -11 | -30 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.3 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
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.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- 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 Comertown, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Comertown?
What time is golden hour at Comertown?
Where does the sun rise and set at Comertown?
Can you see the Milky Way from Comertown?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Comertown?
How far is Comertown from Plentywood?
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.