Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion is a state park in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. It sits roughly 2.1 km (1.3 mi) SW of New Castle. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Wentworth–Coolidge Mansion is a 40-room clapboard house which was built as the home, offices and working farm of colonial Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. It is located on the water at 375 Little Harbor Road, about two miles southeast of the center of Portsmouth. It is one of the few royal governors' residences to survive almost unchanged. The site is a New Hampshire state park, declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968. The New Hampshire Bureau of Historic Sites manages the site with the assistance of the Wentworth-Coolidge Commission, a group of volunteer civic and business leaders appointed by the Governor.From the Wikipedia article “Wentworth–Coolidge Mansion”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:04 AM | 56° ENE | 8:27 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 122° ESE | 4:12 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:28 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:42 PM | 9h 01m |
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 Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:21 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.02 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 95 | 94 | 79 | 68 | 62 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | -6 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 25 | 8 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 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
- 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 Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion, closest first.
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Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
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State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion?
What time is golden hour at Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion?
How far is Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion from New Castle?
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.