Observation Tower is a scenic viewpoint in Baldwin County, Alabama. The nearest town is Gulf Shores, about 11.5 km (7.1 mi) away (Observation Tower lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Observation Tower the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 62° ENE | 7:57 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:44 AM | 117° ESE | 4:56 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
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 | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:00 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:52 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 13m |
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 Observation Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:19 AM – 5:39 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:22 AM – 4:52 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:19 PM – 4:19 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:32 PM – 4:12 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:29 PM – 2:39 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:00 PM – 12:40 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:39 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 8:41 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.38 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 75 | 77 | 83 | 88 | 96 | 101 | 99 | 100 | 97 | 96 | 86 | 77 |
| Low °F | 22 | 28 | 31 | 41 | 49 | 64 | 67 | 62 | 54 | 40 | 31 | 27 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 5.3 |
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
- Check the sun azimuth for your date: front-light, side-light and back-light give three different pictures from the same rail.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- A panorama of 3–5 vertical frames gives more resolution and a wider view without a fisheye look.
- 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 Observation Tower, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Observation Tower?
What time is golden hour at Observation Tower?
Where does the sun rise and set at Observation Tower?
Can you see the Milky Way from Observation Tower?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Observation Tower?
How far is Observation Tower from Gulf Shores?
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.