Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform — a scenic viewpoint in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.3 km (2.7 mi) E of Diamond Ridge.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 36° (NE) at the June solstice and 140° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 325° (NW) in June to 220° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 54° in summer but only 7° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:08 AM | 89° E | 8:20 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:46 AM | 36° NE | 11:31 PM | 325° NW | 54° | 18h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:51 AM | 88° E | 8:08 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:06 AM | 140° SE | 4:04 PM | 220° SW | 7° | 5h 58m |
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 | 9:00 AM | 9:52 AM | 11:23 AM | 3:09 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:32 PM | 6h 49m |
| February | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 9:47 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:42 PM | 9h 15m |
| March | 7:42 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:18 AM | 7:14 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:23 PM | 10:08 PM | 14h 32m |
| May | 4:29 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:37 AM | 9:29 PM | 10:36 PM | 11:38 PM | 17h 05m |
| June | 3:10 AM | 4:46 AM | 6:04 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:28 PM | 1:04 AM | 18h 42m |
| July | 3:58 AM | 5:14 AM | 6:25 AM | 10:00 PM | 11:11 PM | 12:27 AM | 17h 58m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:22 AM | 9:00 PM | 10:00 PM | 10:50 PM | 15h 37m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:30 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:11 PM | 12h 53m |
| October | 8:04 AM | 8:45 AM | 9:44 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:41 PM | 10h 14m |
| November | 8:15 AM | 9:03 AM | 10:21 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:28 PM | 7h 37m |
| December | 9:05 AM | 10:01 AM | 11:58 AM | 2:06 PM | 4:03 PM | 4:59 PM | 6h 02m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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 ≈ 21.4 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 72% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 42 | 39 | 42 | 54 | 66 | 74 | 76 | 72 | 63 | 52 | 47 | 44 |
| Low °F | -4 | -2 | -4 | 10 | 19 | 36 | 41 | 41 | 32 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.7 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform?
What time is golden hour at Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform?
Where does the sun rise and set at Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform?
Can you see the Milky Way from Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform?
How far is Elliot Fischer Memorial Platform from Diamond Ridge?
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.