Jackson Hill (Georgia) viewed from Chief John Ross Pedestrian Bridge
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34.2665° N85.1633° W227 mBortle 7New York

Jackson Hill Photography Guide

Mountain Peak in Floyd County, Georgia · 227 m (745 ft)

  • Bortle 7 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 242°–300°
  • Clearest: October
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Thomson200 · CC0 · source

Jackson Hill is a mountain peak in Floyd County, Georgia at about 227 m (745 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 1.1 km (0.7 mi) N of Rome.

Jackson Hill is a summit in Rome, Georgia. With an elevation of 751 feet (229 m), Jackson Hill is the 905th highest summit in the state of Georgia. The hill considered to be one of the Seven Hills of Rome, Georgia. Jackson Hill was named for the local Jackson family, the original owners.From the Wikipedia article “Jackson Hill (Georgia)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
227 m
745 ft
Nearest town
Rome
1.1 km (0.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 7
Suburban / urban transition
Clearest month
October
45% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.0 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:34 PM
sunset 7:08 PM

Light at Jackson Hill

Live
Sunrise
7:51 AM
Sunset
7:02 PM
Golden hour AM
7:35 AM – 8:25 AM
Golden hour PM
6:27 PM – 7:17 PM
Blue hour AM
7:25 AM – 7:35 AM
Blue hour PM
7:17 PM – 7:27 PM
Full darkness
8:25 PM – 6:28 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:59 PM / 2:08 AM
Day length
11h 11m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Jackson Hill 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:45 AM90° E7:53 PM271° W56°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:30 AM61° ENE8:57 PM300° WNW79°14h 27m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:29 AM89° E7:39 PM271° W56°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:44 AM118° ESE5:35 PM242° WSW32°9h 52m

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

Summits catch first and last light — alpenglow can turn rock pink or orange minutes before sunrise and after sunset while valleys stay in shadow.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:20 AM7:47 AM8:25 AM5:17 PM5:54 PM6:21 PM10h 07m
February7:01 AM7:27 AM8:01 AM5:50 PM6:25 PM6:50 PM10h 58m
March7:27 AM7:52 AM8:25 AM7:16 PM7:49 PM8:14 PM11h 57m
April6:44 AM7:10 AM7:44 AM7:39 PM8:12 PM8:38 PM13h 02m
May6:12 AM6:40 AM7:15 AM8:01 PM8:36 PM9:04 PM13h 57m
June6:00 AM6:29 AM7:06 AM8:18 PM8:55 PM9:24 PM14h 26m
July6:12 AM6:40 AM7:17 AM8:18 PM8:54 PM9:23 PM14h 14m
August6:36 AM7:03 AM7:37 AM7:55 PM8:29 PM8:56 PM13h 27m
September6:59 AM7:25 AM7:58 AM7:16 PM7:49 PM8:14 PM12h 24m
October7:21 AM7:46 AM8:20 AM6:34 PM7:08 PM7:33 PM11h 21m
November6:48 AM7:15 AM7:51 AM5:01 PM5:38 PM6:04 PM10h 23m
December7:12 AM7:40 AM8:19 AM4:55 PM5:33 PM6:01 PM9h 53m

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 Jackson Hill, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—0°—
February5:19 AM – 5:59 AM0.716°SE → SE
March4:33 AM – 6:23 AM1.823°SE → SSE
April2:31 AM – 5:41 AM3.227°SE → S
May12:34 AM – 4:54 AM4.327°SE → SSW
June10:40 PM – 4:40 AM6.027°SE → SW
July10:36 PM – 3:16 AM4.727°SSE → SW
August10:01 PM – 1:11 AM3.227°S → SW
September9:14 PM – 11:14 PM2.024°SSW → SW
October8:31 PM – 9:11 PM0.716°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
DecemberBelow 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.92 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F7277848694107105105101998774
Low °F5717233751555340281810
Precip. (in)4.35.34.74.44.43.94.43.73.83.44.25.4

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 mountain peak

  • Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
  • Photograph the peak from a lake, meadow or ridge at sunrise when the face that looks east lights up first.
  • Long lenses compress ridgelines; shoot the peak from several miles away to make it look massive.
  • Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer at high elevations — plan summit hikes for early morning.
  • Snow on the summit holds detail best when you expose for the highlights and lift shadows later.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lightweight tripod, Warm layers, Microspikes in shoulder seasons. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Jackson Hill, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Jackson Hill?
October has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Early summer keeps snow on the peaks with green valleys below; autumn adds aspen or larch color in many ranges.
What time is golden hour at Jackson Hill?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:34 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:08 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:20 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Jackson Hill?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 61° in June to 118° in December; sunset ranges from 300° to 242°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Jackson Hill?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jackson Hill?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Jackson Hill from Rome?
About 1.1 km (0.7 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.