New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park is a National Historical Park in Louisiana. 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 New Orleans Jazz the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 246° | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 256° | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 268° | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 282° | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 293° | 13h 39m |
| June | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 298° | 14h 04m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 296° | 13h 54m |
| August | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 287° | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 274° | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 261° | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 249° | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 244° | 10h 14m |
Computed for the park's reference point (29.9630, -90.0675); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From New Orleans Jazz, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° 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 | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 2.3 | 28° |
| April | 1:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.5 | 31° |
| May | 11:28 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.0 | 31° |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.7 | 31° |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:57 AM | 5.3 | 31° |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.7 | 31° |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:47 PM | 2.3 | 28° |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.0 | 20° |
| 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
All temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit. Note that relative humidity, especially in summer months, can reach 90%, so summertime temperatures can feel 10-20 degrees hotter than actual temperature. Average high & low temperatures by month: January - 62-44 February - 68-51 March - 77-61 April - 81-65 May - 86-69 June - 92-79 July - 97-83 August - 96-83 Sept - 90-74 Oct - 82-65 Nov - 72-53 Dec - 66-50
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (58%). August 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 park's operations have moved to the Jean Lafitte NHP&P French Quarter Visitor Center located at 419 Decatur St., New Orleans. The visitor center is open 9:30 am - 4:30 pm, Tuesday through Saturday. The visitor center on Decatur Street, between St. Louis and Conti Streets. We are near the statue of Bienville.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Live Music
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
