Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park — a scenic viewpoint in City of Newport News, Virginia — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Newport News, about 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away (Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 60° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 119° ESE | 4:53 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:04 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:03 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:10 AM – 4:10 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:20 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:25 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 10:23 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:27 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.35 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 71 | 74 | 80 | 85 | 95 | 99 | 101 | 101 | 96 | 94 | 79 | 75 |
| Low °F | 11 | 6 | 19 | 29 | 41 | 53 | 61 | 59 | 52 | 38 | 25 | 19 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
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
- 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.
- Haze builds in summer afternoons; mornings after a cold front are often the clearest.
- Stay behind barriers — many overlook edges are undercut or crumbly.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park?
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Where does the sun rise and set at Monitor-Merrimac Overlook Park?
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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.