Jefferson Memorial Arch is a natural arch in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. It sits roughly 1.2 km (0.7 mi) WNW of Gretna.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jefferson Memorial Arch 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 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 62° ENE | 8:05 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 117° ESE | 5:06 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
Arches glow when reflected light bounces off nearby rock — the underside of an arch often turns bright orange just after sunrise or before sunset.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 14m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Jefferson Memorial Arch, 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 8 (city 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 | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:57 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:47 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.13 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 78 | 81 | 84 | 87 | 93 | 96 | 96 | 97 | 93 | 91 | 83 | 78 |
| Low °F | 22 | 29 | 30 | 40 | 48 | 67 | 72 | 64 | 59 | 42 | 32 | 26 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 7.5 | 5.4 | 3.9 | 2.9 | 4.5 |
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 natural arch
- Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
- Frame distant features through the opening of the arch for a natural window.
- At night, arches make classic Milky Way foregrounds; low-level lighting or blue hour exposures keep the rock detailed.
- Use a wide lens and get close to emphasize the span against the sky.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
Suggested gear: Ultra-wide lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Plenty of water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Jefferson Memorial Arch, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jefferson Memorial Arch?
What time is golden hour at Jefferson Memorial Arch?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jefferson Memorial Arch?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jefferson Memorial Arch?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jefferson Memorial Arch?
How far is Jefferson Memorial Arch from Gretna?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.