Lauderdale Lookout Tower — a scenic viewpoint in Lauderdale County, Mississippi at about 190 m (623 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Marion, about 6.3 km (3.9 mi) away (Lauderdale Lookout Tower lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lauderdale Lookout Tower 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 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 118° ESE | 4:54 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 01m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 15m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:06 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 16m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:15 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:48 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 02m |
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 Lauderdale Lookout Tower, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:30 AM – 4:50 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:30 PM – 4:20 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 4:05 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:41 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:40 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:35 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:35 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.4 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 76 | 81 | 85 | 90 | 101 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 104 | 103 | 90 | 80 |
| Low °F | 13 | 20 | 19 | 32 | 41 | 54 | 59 | 54 | 43 | 31 | 18 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 5.4 |
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.
- 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 Lauderdale Lookout Tower, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- East Bank Shelter (Okatibbee)19.2 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
- West Bank Shelter (Okatibbee)21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Twiltley Branch22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Collinsville Shelter (Okatibbee)22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lauderdale Lookout Tower?
What time is golden hour at Lauderdale Lookout Tower?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lauderdale Lookout Tower?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lauderdale Lookout Tower?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lauderdale Lookout Tower?
How far is Lauderdale Lookout Tower from Marion?
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.