Historic building at Green Springs
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Green Springs Photography Guide

NPS unit · Virginia

  • Bortle 3
  • 0 photo spots
  • Clearest: September
Photo: NPS Photo · Public domain (NPS)

Green Springs is a National Park Service unit in Virginia. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.

Green Springs National Historic Landmark District in Virginia’s Piedmont encompasses over 14,000 acres. Its landscapes and structures, privately owned today but viewable from public roads, offer a continuum of rural vernacular architecture with minimal alteration. Many of the farmsteads, often dating to the 19th century and connecting to one another visually, are preserved through easements.Description: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov
Photo spots
0
matched locations
Sky darkness
Bortle 3
Rural sky
Clearest month
September
52% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
Mar–Sep
Nearest town
Gordonsville
11.1 km (6.9 mi)

Light at Green Springs

Live
Sunrise
7:27 AM
Sunset
6:30 PM
Golden hour AM
7:10 AM – 8:03 AM
Golden hour PM
5:54 PM – 6:46 PM
Blue hour AM
7:00 AM – 7:10 AM
Blue hour PM
6:46 PM – 6:56 PM
Full darkness
7:57 PM – 6:00 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:37 PM / 1:31 AM
Day length
11h 03m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
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 & golden hour

At Green Springs 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 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
Month (15th)SunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetSunset az.Daylight
January7:28 AM8:08 AM4:37 PM5:17 PM244°9h 49m
February7:04 AM7:40 AM5:15 PM5:52 PM255°10h 48m
March7:25 AM8:00 AM6:45 PM7:20 PM268°11h 55m
April6:38 AM7:13 AM7:13 PM7:49 PM283°13h 11m
May6:03 AM6:41 AM7:39 PM8:17 PM295°14h 13m
June5:50 AM6:30 AM7:59 PM8:38 PM301°14h 47m
July6:03 AM6:41 AM7:57 PM8:36 PM299°14h 33m
August6:29 AM7:05 AM7:32 PM8:08 PM289°13h 39m
September6:55 AM7:30 AM6:48 PM7:23 PM275°12h 27m
October7:22 AM7:57 AM6:01 PM6:37 PM260°11h 15m
November6:54 AM7:33 AM4:24 PM5:02 PM247°10h 08m
December7:23 AM8:04 AM4:14 PM4:55 PM241°9h 32m

Computed for the park's reference point (38.0371, -78.1898); large parks span several minutes of difference.

Milky Way & dark skies

From Green Springs, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitude
JanuaryNot visible in darkness——
February5:10 AM – 5:30 AM0.313°
March4:18 AM – 5:48 AM1.519°
April2:22 AM – 5:02 AM2.723°
May12:22 AM – 4:12 AM3.823°
June10:33 PM – 3:53 AM5.323°
July10:27 PM – 2:27 AM4.023°
August9:46 PM – 12:26 AM2.723°
September8:52 PM – 10:22 PM1.520°
October8:04 PM – 8:24 PM0.313°
NovemberNot visible in darkness——
DecemberNot 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

Louisa County, Virginia enjoys a temperate climate with hot, humid summers and cool winters.

Weather overview: National Park Service.

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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Average high (°F)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

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

Green Springs National Historic Landmark District is privately owned, includes no public facilities, but is visible from public highways. It sits astride Route 15 in Louisa County, Virginia.

Directions: National Park Service.

Activities

  • Auto and ATV
  • Scenic Driving
  • Biking

Nearby parks

Shenandoah National ParkVA
Shenandoah National Park56 km away · National Park
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military ParkVA
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park69 km away · National Military Park
Maggie L Walker National Historic SiteVA
Maggie L Walker National Historic Site86 km away · National Historic Site
Appomattox Court House National Historical ParkVA
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park91 km away · National Historical Park
Prince William Forest ParkVA
Prince William Forest Park93 km away · Park
Richmond National Battlefield ParkVA
Richmond National Battlefield Park100 km away · National Battlefield Park

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Green Springs?
September 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. Spring and autumn usually bring softer light and fewer crowds; check the monthly table for sunrise and sunset times.
Do you need a photography permit in Green Springs?
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.
Can you fly a drone in Green Springs?
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.
Can you see the Milky Way in Green Springs?
Yes — from March to September, best in June. Estimated sky: Bortle 3.
What time is sunset in Green Springs?
On the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:37 PM local time; see the live widget for today.