Located in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, Palisades Overlook is a scenic viewpoint.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Palisades Overlook the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 49° (NE) at the June solstice and 129° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 312° (NW) in June to 231° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 62° in summer but only 15° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:49 AM | 89° E | 9:00 PM | 271° W | 38° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:27 AM | 49° NE | 11:10 PM | 312° NW | 62° | 16h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:33 AM | 89° E | 8:46 PM | 272° W | 38° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:53 AM | 129° SE | 5:38 PM | 231° SW | 15° | 7h 45m |
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 | 9:09 AM | 9:48 AM | 10:46 AM | 5:07 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:44 PM | 8h 18m |
| February | 8:27 AM | 9:02 AM | 9:50 AM | 6:12 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:36 PM | 9h 59m |
| March | 8:27 AM | 9:01 AM | 9:46 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:25 PM | 11h 50m |
| April | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:35 AM | 8:58 PM | 9:44 PM | 10:20 PM | 13h 54m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:44 AM | 9:44 PM | 10:34 PM | 11:16 PM | 15h 41m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:22 AM | 10:13 PM | 11:08 PM | 11:57 PM | 16h 41m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:38 AM | 10:08 PM | 11:00 PM | 11:46 PM | 16h 14m |
| August | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:19 AM | 9:24 PM | 10:12 PM | 10:49 PM | 14h 40m |
| September | 7:48 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:07 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:37 PM | 12h 40m |
| October | 8:38 AM | 9:12 AM | 9:58 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 10h 42m |
| November | 8:30 AM | 9:07 AM | 10:01 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:34 PM | 8h 50m |
| December | 9:08 AM | 9:49 AM | 10:51 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:17 PM | 7h 48m |
Local time (America/Adak), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| 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 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 79% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (95%). 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 | 45 | 45 | 43 | 45 | 46 | 50 | 54 | 57 | 56 | 54 | 49 | 46 |
| Low °F | 27 | 26 | 26 | 31 | 32 | 38 | 41 | 44 | 42 | 37 | 33 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
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
- 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.
- Use a telephoto (70–200 mm) to isolate layered ridges and light rays instead of shooting only wide.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Palisades Overlook, closest first.
Lake
Hot Spring
Scenic ViewpointHot Spring
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Palisades Overlook?
What time is golden hour at Palisades Overlook?
Where does the sun rise and set at Palisades Overlook?
Can you see the Milky Way from Palisades Overlook?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Palisades Overlook?
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.