Located in Goliad County, Texas, Fannin Battleground State Historic Site is a state park. It sits roughly 15.3 km (9.5 mi) E of Goliad. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Fannin Battleground State Historic Site commemorates the Battle of Coleto Creek, a battle of the Texas Revolution, fought on March 19 and 20, 1836 between Texian forces commanded by Col. James W. Fannin and the Mexican Army commanded by Mexican General Jose de Urrea. Eventually surrounded and outnumbered, Fannin surrendered to the Mexican Army. He and his troops were executed several days later at nearby Presidio La Bahia. Fannin Battleground State Historic Site is located east of Goliad in Goliad County, Texas. The citizens of Goliad County donated the 14-acre battleground to the State of Texas around 1913. The state originally named it Fannin State Park. The site is currently operated by the Texas Historical Commission and features a stone obelisk, interpretive exhibit, group pavilion, and picnic area.From the Wikipedia article “Fannin Battleground State Historic Site”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fannin Battleground State Historic Site the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 63° ENE | 8:31 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:37 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 35m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 58m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 20m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Fannin Battleground State Historic Site, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:54 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:24 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 90 | 96 | 96 | 103 | 109 | 108 | 108 | 111 | 110 | 100 | 92 | 86 |
| Low °F | 21 | 21 | 27 | 36 | 47 | 65 | 67 | 67 | 53 | 39 | 27 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 4.5 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
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.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- 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 Fannin Battleground State Historic Site, closest first.
FAQ
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Where does the sun rise and set at Fannin Battleground State Historic Site?
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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.