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37.3583° N91.3708° W245 mBortle 2Chicago

The Emerald Grotto Photography Guide

Natural Arch in Shannon County, Missouri · 245 m (804 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 241°–301°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep

The Emerald Grotto is a natural arch in Shannon County, Missouri at about 245 m (804 ft) above sea level. It sits roughly 35 km (22 mi) SSE of Salem.

Elevation
245 m
804 ft
Nearest town
Salem
35 km (22 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
September
43% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
5.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:55 PM
sunset 6:30 PM

Light at The Emerald Grotto

Live
Sunrise
7:19 AM
Sunset
6:23 PM
Golden hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:55 AM
Golden hour PM
5:48 PM – 6:39 PM
Blue hour AM
6:52 AM – 7:03 AM
Blue hour PM
6:39 PM – 6:50 PM
Full darkness
7:50 PM – 5:53 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:30 PM / 1:28 AM
Day length
11h 04m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 directions

At The Emerald Grotto the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:10 AM90° E7:18 PM271° W53°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:46 AM59° ENE8:30 PM301° WNW76°14h 44m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:54 AM89° E7:04 PM271° W53°12h 10m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:17 AM119° ESE4:52 PM241° WSW29°9h 35m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:51 AM7:19 AM7:59 AM4:32 PM5:12 PM5:40 PM9h 52m
February6:29 AM6:56 AM7:32 AM5:09 PM5:45 PM6:12 PM10h 50m
March6:51 AM7:17 AM7:52 AM6:39 PM7:13 PM7:39 PM11h 56m
April6:05 AM6:31 AM7:06 AM7:06 PM7:41 PM8:08 PM13h 09m
May5:28 AM5:58 AM6:35 AM7:31 PM8:08 PM8:37 PM14h 10m
June5:14 AM5:45 AM6:24 AM7:50 PM8:28 PM9:00 PM14h 43m
July5:27 AM5:57 AM6:35 AM7:49 PM8:27 PM8:57 PM14h 30m
August5:55 AM6:23 AM6:58 AM7:24 PM7:59 PM8:27 PM13h 37m
September6:22 AM6:48 AM7:23 AM6:41 PM7:15 PM7:41 PM12h 27m
October6:48 AM7:14 AM7:49 AM5:55 PM6:30 PM6:56 PM11h 16m
November6:18 AM6:46 AM7:24 AM4:18 PM4:56 PM5:24 PM10h 11m
December6:44 AM7:13 AM7:54 AM4:09 PM4:50 PM5:19 PM9h 36m

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 The Emerald Grotto, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
February5:03 AM – 5:23 AM0.313°SE → SE
March4:09 AM – 5:39 AM1.520°SE → SSE
April2:12 AM – 4:52 AM2.724°SE → S
May12:11 AM – 4:11 AM4.024°SE → SSW
June10:21 PM – 3:51 AM5.524°SE → SW
July10:15 PM – 2:25 AM4.224°SSE → SW
August9:35 PM – 12:25 AM2.824°S → SW
September8:43 PM – 10:23 PM1.720°SSW → SW
October7:56 PM – 8:16 PM0.314°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-19°—

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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February 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
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F707282869710810610699948071
Low °F-7-542029465348382410-6
Precip. (in)2.53.44.45.35.73.83.94.33.63.73.93.0

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

  • 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.
  • Never climb on arches; many are fragile and climbing is prohibited on park lands.
  • Midday sun creates hard shadows, but can light the underside through reflection in narrow canyons.
  • Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.

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 The Emerald Grotto, closest first.

Ghost Town
Sinkin6.5 km away · Shannon County
Current River State ParkState Park
Current River State Park7.1 km away · Shannon County
Natural Arch
Round Spring Natural Bridge9.0 km away · Shannon County
Cave SpringCave
Cave Spring11 km away · Shannon County
Natural Arch
Turner Natural Bridge15 km away · Shannon County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph The Emerald Grotto?
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 offer mild temperatures in desert arch country; summer heat is extreme at midday.
What time is golden hour at The Emerald Grotto?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:55 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:30 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:49 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at The Emerald Grotto?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 59° in June to 119° in December; sunset ranges from 301° to 241°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from The Emerald Grotto?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Emerald Grotto?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is The Emerald Grotto from Salem?
About 35 km (22 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.