Burnsville Overlook Area — a scenic viewpoint in Tishomingo County, Mississippi at about 143 m (469 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 10.7 km (6.6 mi) W of Iuka.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Burnsville Overlook Area the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 49m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 57m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 16m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:16 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 50m |
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 Burnsville Overlook Area, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 3:45 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:20 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:44 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 97 | 109 | 106 | 110 | 102 | 103 | 89 | 76 |
| Low °F | 5 | 12 | 17 | 25 | 39 | 52 | 57 | 53 | 42 | 28 | 18 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 4.9 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 5.7 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Burnsville Overlook Area, closest first.
Mountain Peak
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Holcut Picnic Shelter10.9 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Paden Picnic Shelter19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove Picnic Area Shelters26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove Beach Picnic Shelter28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Piney Grove28 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Burnsville Overlook Area?
What time is golden hour at Burnsville Overlook Area?
Where does the sun rise and set at Burnsville Overlook Area?
Can you see the Milky Way from Burnsville Overlook Area?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Burnsville Overlook Area?
How far is Burnsville Overlook Area from Iuka?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.