Spencer State Forest is a state park in Worcester County, Massachusetts. It sits roughly 4.1 km (2.5 mi) S of Spencer.
Spencer State Forest is a Massachusetts state forest and recreation reserve located in the town of Spencer, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The 92-mile (148 km) Midstate Trail passes through the state forest. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts also conducts logging in some parts of the property.From the Wikipedia article “Spencer State Forest”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Spencer State Forest 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 304° (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) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 57° ENE | 8:28 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 122° ESE | 4:19 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:12 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 15h 15m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 58m |
| August | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:36 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:09 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:17 PM | 4:49 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Spencer State Forest, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:20 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:20 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:40 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:28 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:25 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.6 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 September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and May 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 64 | 65 | 75 | 86 | 89 | 93 | 98 | 100 | 97 | 86 | 72 | 67 |
| Low °F | -12 | -15 | -3 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 41 | 22 | 10 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Spencer State Forest, closest first.
Lake
State Park
Lake
Lake
State Park
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
Botanical GardenWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Buffumville Lake (Group Shelter)11.7 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Westville Recreation Area16.1 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- West Thompson Lake Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spencer State Forest?
What time is golden hour at Spencer State Forest?
Where does the sun rise and set at Spencer State Forest?
Can you see the Milky Way from Spencer State Forest?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Spencer State Forest?
How far is Spencer State Forest from Spencer?
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.