Coulson is a ghost town in Yellowstone County, Montana. It sits roughly 1.9 km (1.2 mi) ENE of Billings.
Coulson is a ghost town located in Yellowstone County, Montana, United States, on the north bank of the Yellowstone River, approximately one mile east of present-day downtown Billings.From the Wikipedia article “Coulson, Montana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coulson the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 54° NE | 9:08 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 124° SE | 4:33 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:19 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:39 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:45 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:24 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:30 PM | 7:00 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Coulson, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:46 PM – 2:36 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:21 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:09 PM – 9:19 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.55 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (74%). July is the warmest month and December 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 | 63 | 64 | 77 | 86 | 92 | 101 | 107 | 102 | 99 | 89 | 74 | 59 |
| Low °F | -16 | -14 | -23 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 46 | 40 | 26 | 2 | -12 | -18 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
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 Coulson, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coulson?
What time is golden hour at Coulson?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coulson?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coulson?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coulson?
How far is Coulson from Billings?
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.