Overlook Island — a scenic viewpoint in Carroll County, New Hampshire at about 178 m (584 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Ossipee, about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) away (Overlook Island lies SE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Overlook Island the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:03 AM | 56° NE | 8:30 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 123° ESE | 4:11 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 4:47 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 43m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 4:42 AM | 5:17 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:22 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:09 PM | 4:42 PM | 8h 57m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Overlook Island, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:36 AM – 5:16 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:32 AM – 4:12 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 3:06 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:51 PM – 2:31 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:38 PM – 1:18 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 11:11 PM | 1.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:35 PM – 9:15 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 21.0 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 59 | 65 | 74 | 82 | 84 | 94 | 105 | 94 | 93 | 79 | 70 | 62 |
| Low °F | -23 | -23 | -19 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 44 | 35 | 20 | -3 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Overlook Island, closest first.
Lake
State Park
Lake
Lake
Lake
Covered Bridge
Lake
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Overlook Island?
What time is golden hour at Overlook Island?
Where does the sun rise and set at Overlook Island?
Can you see the Milky Way from Overlook Island?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Overlook Island?
How far is Overlook Island from Ossipee?
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.