Washunga is a ghost town in Kay County, Oklahoma. It sits roughly 22 km (13 mi) ENE of McCord.
Washunga is a small community and ghost town in Kay County, Oklahoma, United States. Washunga was named for the leader of the Kaw Indians in the late 19th and early 20th century. The word means "bird" in the Kaw language. The name was often spelled Washungah. The town was established in 1903 at the headquarters of the Kaw tribe, called the Kaw Agency. A post office was established at the Kaw Agency in 1880 and continued until 1918. The building housing the former Kaw Agency is listed on the NRHP. In the early 1970s, the building was relocated a few hundred yards north to the present site as the waters of Kaw Lake covered the original site.From the Wikipedia article “Washunga, Oklahoma”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Washunga 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) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 60° ENE | 8:50 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:15 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 38m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 55m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 08m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 40m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:17 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 35m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 13m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 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 Washunga, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:31 AM – 6:11 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:30 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:40 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:55 PM – 12:45 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 10:44 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 8:48 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 76 | 78 | 88 | 96 | 97 | 106 | 113 | 115 | 108 | 93 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | -7 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 34 | 49 | 57 | 52 | 44 | 21 | 17 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 5.7 | 4.8 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
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
- 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 Washunga, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Washunga Bay1.2 km (0.7 mi) · reservable
- Sarge Creek3.3 km (2.0 mi) · reservable
- Coon Creek (Ok)7.6 km (4.7 mi) · reservable
- Bear Creek Cove9.0 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Osage Cove9.5 km (5.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Washunga?
What time is golden hour at Washunga?
Where does the sun rise and set at Washunga?
Can you see the Milky Way from Washunga?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Washunga?
How far is Washunga from McCord?
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.