Ames Nowell State Park — a state park in Norfolk County, Massachusetts — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Abington, about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away (Ames Nowell State Park lies WNW of town).
Ames Nowell State Park is a 612-acre (248 ha) public recreation area located in Abington, Massachusetts, United States. The state park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The park's colonial history is revealed in its miles of stone walls, two wagon bridges, and two quarries, all dating back to the 1600s and 1700s.From the Wikipedia article “Ames Nowell State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ames Nowell State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 57° ENE | 8:24 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 122° ESE | 4:16 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:57 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:32 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:24 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:14 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Ames Nowell State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 3:25 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 1:34 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.4 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 58 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 77 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 8 | 27 | 37 | 46 | 55 | 56 | 49 | 36 | 18 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Ames Nowell State Park, closest first.
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Mountain Peak
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ames Nowell State Park?
What time is golden hour at Ames Nowell State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ames Nowell State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ames Nowell State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ames Nowell State Park?
How far is Ames Nowell State Park from Abington?
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.