Horse-powered whim, used for mining production of small mines. Photograph taken in Como, Nevada 1902.
  1. Home
  2. Ghost Towns
  3. Nevada
  4. Lyon County
  5. Como
39.1725° N119.4770° WBortle 3Los Angeles

Como Photography Guide

Ghost Town in Lyon County, Nevada

  • Bortle 3 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 240°–302°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Unknown photographer · Public domain · source

Como is a ghost town in Lyon County, Nevada. It sits roughly 12.3 km (7.6 mi) SE of Dayton.

Como is a ghost town in Lyon County, Nevada, in the United States.From the Wikipedia article “Como, Nevada”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Dayton
12.3 km (7.6 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
August
21% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:44 PM
sunset 6:20 PM

Light at Como

Live
Sunrise
7:13 AM
Sunset
6:13 PM
Golden hour AM
6:57 AM – 7:50 AM
Golden hour PM
5:37 PM – 6:30 PM
Blue hour AM
6:46 AM – 6:57 AM
Blue hour PM
6:30 PM – 6:40 PM
Full darkness
7:43 PM – 5:45 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 71%
Moonrise / set
3:27 PM / 1:21 AM
Day length
11h 00m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Los Angeles. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Como the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:02 AM90° E7:10 PM271° W51°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:33 AM59° ENE8:28 PM302° WNW74°14h 56m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:46 AM89° E6:57 PM271° W51°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:15 AM120° ESE4:39 PM240° WSW27°9h 25m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:47 AM7:16 AM7:57 AM4:19 PM5:00 PM5:29 PM9h 43m
February6:23 AM6:51 AM7:28 AM4:58 PM5:35 PM6:03 PM10h 45m
March6:43 AM7:10 AM7:46 AM6:30 PM7:05 PM7:32 PM11h 55m
April5:54 AM6:22 AM6:58 AM7:00 PM7:35 PM8:03 PM13h 14m
May5:15 AM5:46 AM6:24 AM7:27 PM8:05 PM8:35 PM14h 19m
June5:00 AM5:32 AM6:12 AM7:46 PM8:27 PM8:59 PM14h 54m
July5:13 AM5:45 AM6:24 AM7:45 PM8:24 PM8:56 PM14h 40m
August5:43 AM6:12 AM6:49 AM7:18 PM7:55 PM8:23 PM13h 43m
September6:13 AM6:40 AM7:15 AM6:33 PM7:08 PM7:35 PM12h 28m
October6:41 AM7:08 AM7:44 AM5:44 PM6:20 PM6:47 PM11h 12m
November6:14 AM6:42 AM7:22 AM4:05 PM4:45 PM5:13 PM10h 03m
December6:41 AM7:11 AM7:53 AM3:55 PM4:37 PM5:07 PM9h 26m

Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Como, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:05 AM – 5:15 AM0.212°SE → SE
March4:15 AM – 5:35 AM1.318°SE → SSE
April2:11 AM – 4:41 AM2.522°SE → S
May12:13 AM – 3:53 AM3.722°SE → S
June10:27 PM – 3:27 AM5.022°SE → SSW
July10:19 PM – 1:59 AM3.722°SSE → SW
August9:35 PM – 12:05 AM2.521°S → SW
September8:39 PM – 9:59 PM1.318°SSW → SW
October7:50 PM – 8:00 PM0.212°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 21.33 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (62%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7071788695101106101100897463
Low °F59172126324744321994
Precip. (in)1.11.10.80.70.70.20.20.20.10.60.81.2

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

  • 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.
  • Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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 Como, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Como?
August has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
What time is golden hour at Como?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:44 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:20 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:44 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Como?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 120° in December; sunset ranges from 302° to 240°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Como?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 3 (rural sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Como?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Como from Dayton?
About 12.3 km (7.6 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.