Signal Knob is a mountain peak in Shenandoah County, Virginia at about 642 m (2,106 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Strasburg, about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away (Signal Knob lies SE of town).
Signal Knob is the northern peak of Massanutten Mountain in the Ridge and Valley Appalachians with an elevation of 2,106 feet (642 m). It is located in George Washington National Forest in Shenandoah County and Warren County in Virginia. The peak offers expansive views into the northern Shenandoah Valley and the town of Strasburg, Virginia.From the Wikipedia article “Signal Knob”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Signal Knob the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 59° ENE | 8:43 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:55 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Signal Knob, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:27 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 2:23 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:49 PM – 12:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 10:14 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.42 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and May 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 73 | 78 | 87 | 93 | 96 | 101 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 80 | 77 |
| Low °F | -3 | -3 | -6 | 22 | 27 | 39 | 50 | 49 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
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
- 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.
- Alpenglow lasts only a few minutes; set up and focus beforehand.
- Clouds around the summit add drama — a clear blue sky is often the least interesting condition.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Signal Knob, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State Park
CaveScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Mountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Elizabeth Furnace Group Camp3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Elizabeth Furnace4.0 km (2.5 mi) · reservable
- Little Fort14.3 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- Mathews Arm Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Signal Knob?
What time is golden hour at Signal Knob?
Where does the sun rise and set at Signal Knob?
Can you see the Milky Way from Signal Knob?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Signal Knob?
How far is Signal Knob from Strasburg?
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.