Located in Madison County, Montana, Union City is a ghost town. It sits roughly 46 km (28 mi) W of Big Sky. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Union City is a ghost town in Madison County, Montana, United States. Its elevation is 7,582 feet (2,311 m), and it is located at 45°12′30″N 111°56′3″W (45.2082579, -111.9424776). Founded in 1867 as a mining camp, the community was abandoned after the claims ran out. The entire site, now owned by the Bureau of Land Management, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.From the Wikipedia article “Union City, Montana”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Union City the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 55° NE | 9:20 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:05 AM | 124° ESE | 4:49 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 44m |
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 | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 8:51 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 08m |
| February | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:20 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:25 PM | 14h 52m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:18 PM | 9:55 PM | 15h 37m |
| July | 5:19 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:29 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:50 PM | 15h 18m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:44 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 33m |
| December | 7:27 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:50 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 46m |
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 Union City, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:32 AM – 4:52 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:31 AM – 3:41 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:53 PM – 3:03 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:36 PM – 1:46 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:32 PM – 11:42 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:22 PM – 9:42 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 40% average cloud cover) and March 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 | 42 | 48 | 62 | 72 | 82 | 89 | 98 | 94 | 88 | 79 | 62 | 45 |
| Low °F | -28 | -35 | -21 | -4 | 12 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 21 | -3 | -27 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Union City, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Axolotl Cabin6.6 km (4.1 mi) · reservable
- Vigilante Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Wall Creek Cabin29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Union City?
What time is golden hour at Union City?
Where does the sun rise and set at Union City?
Can you see the Milky Way from Union City?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Union City?
How far is Union City from Big Sky?
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.