Flight 93 National Memorial is a National Memorial in Pennsylvania. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Flight 93 the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:36 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 243° | 9h 38m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:52 PM | 254° | 10h 42m |
| March | 7:28 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:23 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 284° | 13h 16m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 296° | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:28 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 302° | 15h 00m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:45 PM | 300° | 14h 45m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 289° | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:26 PM | 275° | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:37 PM | 260° | 11h 11m |
| November | 7:02 AM | 7:42 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 246° | 9h 59m |
| December | 7:31 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:52 PM | 240° | 9h 21m |
Computed for the park's reference point (40.0606, -78.8946); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Flight 93, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 0.2 | 11° |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.3 | 18° |
| April | 2:31 AM – 4:51 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| May | 12:35 AM – 4:05 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| June | 10:50 PM – 3:40 AM | 4.8 | 21° |
| July | 10:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 3.5 | 21° |
| August | 9:56 PM – 12:16 AM | 2.3 | 21° |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:09 PM | 1.2 | 18° |
| October | 8:08 PM – 8:18 PM | 0.2 | 11° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Fall-Winter Cooler weather starts in September with warm days and cool nights. The first snowfall of the season occurs by mid-October and extends through late March to mid-April. Daytime temperatures range in the mid-20s to 30s, with periodic warming in the 40s and 50s. The average annual snowfall is approximately 80 inches for Somerset County. Spring-Summer May is more predictable for warmer weather with daytime temperatures in the 60s and 70s. July and August are also mild with highs in the 80s-90s
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). 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 (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
The entrance to the memorial is located on US Route 30/Lincoln Highway. Traveling east on the PA Turnpike take exit 110 - Somerset and follow the signs. Traveling west on the PA Turnpike take exit 146 - Bedford. GPS Address: 6424 Lincoln Highway, Stoystown, PA 15563. Please note mapping programs may note alternate entrances, but the only entrance to the memorial is located on US Route 30. For more details follow the link to our website
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
Nearby parks
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MD
VA