Located in Madison County, Alabama, Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower is a scenic viewpoint at about 487 m (1,598 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Huntsville, about 7.4 km (4.6 mi) away (Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:35 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 118° ESE | 4:40 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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
Overlooks are about the sweep of the land, so low-angle light matters most: side-light at sunrise or sunset reveals ridges and texture that midday sun flattens.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 05m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:04 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 28m |
| July | 5:16 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 28m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:09 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:24 AM – 5:04 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 5:28 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 4:37 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 4:01 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 3:38 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:08 PM – 12:18 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.26 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (65%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 82 | 85 | 93 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 101 | 99 | 87 | 74 |
| Low °F | 4 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 56 | 53 | 40 | 29 | 17 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.6 |
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 scenic viewpoint
- Blue hour after sunset is excellent for towns or roads below the viewpoint as lights come on.
- Arrive 30–45 minutes before sunrise or sunset to find a composition before the light peaks.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Clear, dry air in autumn and after winter storms gives the longest views; summer adds wildflowers but also haze.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, Graduated ND filter, Headlamp. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower, closest first.
State Park
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallScenic Viewpoint
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower?
What time is golden hour at Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower?
Where does the sun rise and set at Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower?
Can you see the Milky Way from Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower?
How far is Joe B Shirley Lookout Tower from Huntsville?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.