Centennial Olympic Park — a state park in Fulton County, Georgia — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Atlanta, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Centennial Olympic Park lies NNW of town).
Centennial Olympic Park is a 22-acre (89,000 m2) public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. It was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructure improvements for the 1996 Summer Olympics. It plays host to millions of visitors a year and several events, including a summer popular music concert series (Wednesday WindDown), the annual SweetWater 420 Fest and an annual Independence Day concert and fireworks display.From the Wikipedia article “Centennial Olympic Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Centennial Olympic Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:50 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 61° ENE | 8:52 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:39 AM | 118° ESE | 5:34 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 54m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:19 PM | 10h 09m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:22 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:11 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:18 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:14 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 55m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Centennial Olympic Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:16 AM – 5:56 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:29 AM – 6:19 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 4:59 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:35 PM – 4:35 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 3:11 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:57 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.3 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 9:10 PM – 11:10 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:28 PM – 9:08 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.56 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (59%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 75 | 78 | 84 | 91 | 96 | 108 | 107 | 105 | 103 | 102 | 85 | 78 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 17 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 57 | 56 | 42 | 29 | 20 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 5.0 |
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 state park
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Centennial Olympic Park, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Covered Bridge
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain Peak
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Centennial Olympic Park?
What time is golden hour at Centennial Olympic Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Centennial Olympic Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Centennial Olympic Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Centennial Olympic Park?
How far is Centennial Olympic Park from Atlanta?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.