Centralia — a ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.4 km (1.5 mi) N of Ashland.
Centralia (, sen-TRAY-li-ə) is a borough and near-ghost town in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, United States, part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. Its population declined from 1,000 in 1980 to five residents in 2020 because of a coal mine fire burning beneath the borough since 1962. Centralia, part of the Bloomsburg–Berwick metropolitan area, is the least-populated municipality in Pennsylvania. It is completely surrounded by Conyngham Township. All real estate in the borough was claimed under eminent domain in 1992 and condemned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Centralia's ZIP Code was discontinued by the Postal Service in 2002. State and local officials reached an agreement with the then seven remaining residents on October 29, 2013, allowing them to remain in Centralia until their deaths, after which the rights to their houses will be taken through eminent domain. As of 2020,...From the Wikipedia article “Centralia, Pennsylvania”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Centralia the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 58° ENE | 8:41 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 121° ESE | 4:41 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:54 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:52 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:07 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 16m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Centralia, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:22 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:33 AM – 4:43 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:48 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:45 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 11:58 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 9:59 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 7:57 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.18 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 September as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 64 | 73 | 77 | 88 | 91 | 95 | 103 | 101 | 96 | 93 | 78 | 71 |
| Low °F | -9 | -12 | -8 | 21 | 28 | 41 | 49 | 49 | 38 | 24 | 11 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
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 Centralia, closest first.
Hot Spring
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Mountain Peak
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Centralia?
What time is golden hour at Centralia?
Where does the sun rise and set at Centralia?
Can you see the Milky Way from Centralia?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Centralia?
How far is Centralia from Ashland?
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.