Truth or Consequences Hot Springs is a hot spring in Sierra County, New Mexico. The nearest town is Truth or Consequences, about 600 m away (Truth or Consequences Hot Springs lies N of town).
Truth or Consequences Hot Springs is a thermal spring system located in the Hot Springs Artesian Basin area surrounding Truth or Consequences, New Mexico (formerly known as Hot Springs, New Mexico) in Sierra County.From the Wikipedia article “Truth or Consequences Hot Springs”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Truth or Consequences Hot Springs the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 61° ENE | 8:22 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 118° ESE | 5:07 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 58m |
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
Steam is most visible on cold mornings; backlight from a low sun makes rising steam glow.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:46 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Truth or Consequences Hot Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:50 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:28 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:03 PM – 4:13 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:26 PM – 12:46 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:40 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:49 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 20.3 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 29% average cloud cover) and July 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 | 70 | 76 | 80 | 88 | 96 | 101 | 101 | 97 | 95 | 87 | 77 | 71 |
| Low °F | 2 | -3 | 17 | 24 | 28 | 42 | 53 | 51 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
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 hot spring
- Respect bathers' privacy: ask before including people at soaking pools.
- Wind direction determines where steam drifts; shoot from the upwind side to see the pool.
- Condensation forms quickly on lenses; let gear acclimate and carry a cloth.
- Keep to boardwalks and marked paths — crusts around thermal features can be thin and the water dangerously hot.
- A polarizer brings out the colors of mineral terraces and microbial mats.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter gives the most dramatic steam; some primitive springs are only accessible in summer.
Suggested gear: Circular polarizer, Lens cloth, Telephoto for distant pools. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Truth or Consequences Hot Springs, closest first.
Hot Spring
CanyonCanyon
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Truth or Consequences Hot Springs?
What time is golden hour at Truth or Consequences Hot Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Truth or Consequences Hot Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Truth or Consequences Hot Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Truth or Consequences Hot Springs?
How far is Truth or Consequences Hot Springs from Truth or Consequences?
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.