Imuruk Basin is a lake in Nome Census Area, Alaska.
The Imuruk Basin (Imaġruk or Narvaġruk in Iñupiaq) is an approximately 90 mi2 (230 km2), 17-mile (27 km) long shallow estuary located on the Seward Peninsula in the U.S. state of Alaska. The estuary's drainage basin covers about one quarter of the peninsula. The basin is fed by the Kuzitrin, Kruzgamepa, Agiapuk, and Cobblestone Rivers and is drained by the Tuksuk Channel, which empties into Grantley Harbor (Pacific Ocean). The Imuruk Basin was a strategic waterway for early Iñupiat by providing accessibility to the Bering Sea from the Seward Peninsula's interior.From the Wikipedia article “Imuruk Basin”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Imuruk Basin the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 13° (NNE) at the June solstice and 156° (SSE) in late December. Sunset moves from 348° (NNW) in June to 204° (SSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 48° in summer but only 1° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:03 AM | 89° E | 9:19 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 15m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:59 AM | 13° NNE | 2:12 AM | 348° NNW | 48° | 22h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:47 AM | 88° E | 9:06 PM | 272° W | 25° | 12h 19m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 12:17 PM | 156° SSE | 3:47 PM | 204° SSW | 1° | 3h 30m |
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
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10:30 AM | 11:43 AM | — | — | 4:43 PM | 5:55 PM | 5h 00m |
| February | 9:10 AM | 10:04 AM | 11:27 AM | 5:09 PM | 6:32 PM | 7:26 PM | 8h 28m |
| March | 8:33 AM | 9:22 AM | 10:28 AM | 7:57 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:52 PM | 11h 41m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:35 AM | 9:32 PM | 10:40 PM | 11:39 PM | 15h 14m |
| May | — | 5:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 10:54 PM | 12:24 AM | — | 18h 47m |
| June | — | 4:03 AM | 6:19 AM | 11:49 PM | 2:05 AM | — | 22h 02m |
| July | — | 5:00 AM | 6:47 AM | 11:32 PM | 1:19 AM | — | 20h 18m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:03 AM | 10:13 PM | 11:28 PM | 12:38 AM | 16h 39m |
| September | 7:35 AM | 8:26 AM | 9:31 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:23 PM | 13h 06m |
| October | 9:07 AM | 9:57 AM | 11:11 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:32 PM | 9h 44m |
| November | 9:38 AM | 10:42 AM | 1:10 PM | 2:27 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:58 PM | 6h 13m |
| December | 10:43 AM | 12:11 PM | — | — | 3:47 PM | 5:15 PM | 3h 37m |
Local time (America/Nome), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -13° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 55% average cloud cover) and October as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 36 | 34 | 33 | 45 | 73 | 81 | 77 | 74 | 63 | 52 | 36 | 35 |
| Low °F | -44 | -44 | -32 | -21 | -2 | 23 | 30 | 28 | 19 | -3 | -22 | -36 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
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 lake
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Imuruk Basin?
What time is golden hour at Imuruk Basin?
Where does the sun rise and set at Imuruk Basin?
Can you see the Milky Way from Imuruk Basin?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Imuruk Basin?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.