Purse State Park — a state park in Charles County, Maryland — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Aquia Harbour, about 12.4 km (7.7 mi) away (Purse State Park lies ESE of town).
Purse State Park is a former Maryland state park located on the Potomac River in Charles County that has been subsumed into the 1,365-acre (552 ha) Nanjemoy Wildlife Management Area. As the Purse Area, the former park is known for fossil hunting on the beaches of Wades Bay at the southern end of the Nanjemoy WMA. Fossil discoveries have included shark teeth and Cibicides.From the Wikipedia article “Purse State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Purse State Park 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 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:37 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Purse State Park, 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 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban 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 | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.24 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 76 | 76 | 81 | 95 | 93 | 100 | 106 | 105 | 99 | 98 | 80 | 76 |
| Low °F | 2 | -2 | -1 | 23 | 32 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 20 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Purse State Park, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Telegraph Picnic Pavilion16.3 km (10.1 mi) · reservable
- Cabin Camp 317.5 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Chopawamsic Backcountry Camping Permits19.6 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Turkey Run Ridge Group19.9 km (12.3 mi) · reservable
- Prince William Forest Rv Park21 km (13 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Purse State Park?
What time is golden hour at Purse State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Purse State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Purse State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Purse State Park?
How far is Purse State Park from Aquia Harbour?
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.