Whale Observatory is a scenic viewpoint in Petersburg Borough, Alaska. The nearest town is Petersburg, about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away (Whale Observatory lies ENE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Whale Observatory the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 42° (NE) at the June solstice and 135° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 319° (NW) in June to 225° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 33° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:59 AM | 42° NE | 9:49 PM | 319° NW | 57° | 17h 50m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 88° E | 6:53 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:28 AM | 135° SE | 3:13 PM | 225° SW | 10° | 6h 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 | 7:32 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:32 AM | 2:31 PM | 3:45 PM | 4:31 PM | 7h 27m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:17 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 33m |
| March | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:03 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 16m |
| May | 3:43 AM | 4:35 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:04 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:55 PM | 16h 28m |
| June | 2:53 AM | 3:59 AM | 5:06 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:54 PM | 17h 48m |
| July | 3:23 AM | 4:22 AM | 5:25 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:35 PM | 10:34 PM | 17h 13m |
| August | 4:36 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 13m |
| September | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 48m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:19 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 26m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:40 AM | 2:35 PM | 3:41 PM | 4:25 PM | 8h 08m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:24 AM | 9:48 AM | 1:48 PM | 3:12 PM | 4:01 PM | 6h 48m |
Local time (America/Sitka), 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 | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.83 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 February as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 43 | 43 | 51 | 56 | 70 | 82 | 80 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -16 | -8 | -9 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 42 | 33 | 9 | -10 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.6 |
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.
- 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 Whale Observatory, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ravens Roost Cabin4.6 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- Petersburg Lake Cabin15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Cascade Creek Cabin22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Salt Chuck East Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Spurt Cove Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Whale Observatory?
What time is golden hour at Whale Observatory?
Where does the sun rise and set at Whale Observatory?
Can you see the Milky Way from Whale Observatory?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Whale Observatory?
How far is Whale Observatory from Petersburg?
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.