Manassas National Battlefield Park is a National Battlefield Park 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.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Manassas 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 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:28 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 243° | 9h 45m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:48 PM | 255° | 10h 46m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 283° | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:16 PM | 296° | 14h 17m |
| June | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:38 PM | 301° | 14h 52m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:36 PM | 299° | 14h 38m |
| August | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 289° | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:20 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 260° | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 247° | 10h 04m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 240° | 9h 28m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.8171, -77.5353); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Manassas, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.2 | 12° |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 12:23 AM – 4:03 AM | 3.7 | 22° |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.2 | 22° |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.8 | 22° |
| August | 9:45 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:50 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.3 | 19° |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:22 PM | 0.3 | 12° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
Spring: Mild weather, with average low/high temperatures from 33 F to 75 F. Variable rainfall, with May being the wettest month of the year on average. Summer: Warm and humid weather, with average temperatures from 61 F to 88 F. Variable rainfall, with occasional downpours during storms. Fall: Mild weather, with average temperatures from 35 F to 79 F. Variable rainfall. Winter: Mild to cool weather, with average temperatures from 24 F to 47 F. Annual snowfall averages about 22 inches.
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 (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 (%)
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
Located right off Interstate 66, just 26 miles west of Washington, DC.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Fishing
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Living History
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
Nearby parks
VA
VA
VA
DC/MD
DC/MD
DC/MD