Located in Dillingham Census Area, Alaska, Observation Point is a scenic viewpoint.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Observation Point the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 38° (NE) at the June solstice and 138° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 322° (NW) in June to 222° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 55° in summer but only 8° in winter. OpenStreetMap records this view as facing WNW (285°), so the sun itself stays out of the frame at sunrise and sunset and you get side-light instead.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:42 AM | 89° E | 8:54 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 38° NE | 11:54 PM | 322° NW | 55° | 18h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:26 AM | 88° E | 8:41 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:30 AM | 138° SE | 4:47 PM | 222° SW | 8° | 6h 17m |
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 | 9:28 AM | 10:18 AM | 11:41 AM | 3:59 PM | 5:22 PM | 6:12 PM | 7h 04m |
| February | 8:32 AM | 9:14 AM | 10:14 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:18 PM | 9h 22m |
| March | 8:17 AM | 8:57 AM | 9:50 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:23 PM | 11h 46m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:22 AM | 8:59 PM | 9:54 PM | 10:38 PM | 14h 26m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:15 AM | 9:59 PM | 11:02 PM | 12:00 AM | 16h 50m |
| June | 4:11 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:44 AM | 10:38 PM | 11:51 PM | 1:12 AM | 18h 20m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:05 AM | 10:28 PM | 11:36 PM | 12:44 AM | 17h 40m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:59 AM | 9:32 PM | 10:29 PM | 11:17 PM | 15h 27m |
| September | 7:30 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:03 AM | 8:09 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:42 PM | 12h 51m |
| October | 8:37 AM | 9:17 AM | 10:14 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 10h 18m |
| November | 8:45 AM | 9:31 AM | 10:44 AM | 4:07 PM | 5:20 PM | 6:06 PM | 7h 49m |
| December | 9:33 AM | 10:26 AM | 12:06 PM | 3:06 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:40 PM | 6h 21m |
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 | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 2.5+ 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 70% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 40 | 40 | 42 | 55 | 63 | 69 | 69 | 68 | 62 | 54 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -17 | -15 | -10 | -1 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 45 | 36 | 16 | 2 | -8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.9 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Point, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Observation Point?
What time is golden hour at Observation Point?
Where does the sun rise and set at Observation Point?
Can you see the Milky Way from Observation Point?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Observation Point?
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.