Minerva — a ghost town in Lane County, Oregon — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Florence, about 14.9 km (9.3 mi) away (Minerva lies NE of town).
Minerva is an unincorporated community in Lane County, Oregon, United States. It is located about 13 miles (21 km) northeast of Florence near the North Fork Siuslaw River within the Siuslaw National Forest.From the Wikipedia article “Minerva, Oregon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Minerva the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 56° NE | 9:03 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 PM | 238° WSW | 22° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:17 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:30 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:12 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Minerva, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:05 AM – 4:45 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:10 AM – 3:40 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:26 PM – 3:06 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:12 PM – 1:42 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:37 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.68 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 34% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August 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 | 61 | 64 | 71 | 79 | 86 | 89 | 87 | 89 | 94 | 80 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 19 | 23 | 24 | 30 | 34 | 41 | 45 | 46 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.2 | 4.8 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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 Minerva, closest first.
State Park
Waterfall
Wilderness Area
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
Waterfall
Lighthouse
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- North Fork Siuslaw Campground3.8 km (2.4 mi)
- Horse Creek Campground11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Alder Dune11.4 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Sutton Campground12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Baker Beach Campground12.9 km (8.0 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Minerva?
What time is golden hour at Minerva?
Where does the sun rise and set at Minerva?
Can you see the Milky Way from Minerva?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Minerva?
How far is Minerva from Florence?
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.