Located in Keith County, Nebraska, Lake McConaughy is a lake. It sits roughly 10.8 km (6.7 mi) N of Ogallala.
Lake McConaughy (known locally and affectionately as Lake Mac) is a reservoir on the North Platte River. It is located 9 miles (14 km) north of Ogallala, Nebraska, United States, near U.S. Highway 26 and Nebraska Highway 61. The reservoir was named for Charles W. McConaughy, a grain merchant and mayor of Holdrege, Nebraska, one of the leading promoters of the project. Although he did not live to see the completion of the project, his leadership and perseverance eventually culminated in a public power and irrigation project that helped Nebraska become one of the nation's leading agricultural states.From the Wikipedia article “Lake McConaughy”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake McConaughy the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 57° ENE | 8:24 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 121° ESE | 4:22 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:29 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Lake McConaughy, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:13 AM – 3:33 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:21 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 11:32 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:32 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:39 PM – 7:39 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 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 40% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 68 | 76 | 84 | 92 | 102 | 108 | 110 | 107 | 103 | 92 | 79 | 68 |
| Low °F | -7 | -6 | -9 | 11 | 24 | 42 | 49 | 46 | 33 | 11 | 5 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
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 Lake McConaughy?
What time is golden hour at Lake McConaughy?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake McConaughy?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake McConaughy?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake McConaughy?
How far is Lake McConaughy from Ogallala?
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.