Located in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, Makushin Volcano is a volcano. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) W of Dutch Harbor.
The Makushin Volcano (also known as Mount Makushin) is an ice-covered stratovolcano located on Unalaska Island in the Aleutian Islands of the U.S. state of Alaska. With an elevation of 2,036 meters (6,680 ft), its summit is the highest point on the island. Makushin is one of the most active among the 52 historically active volcanoes of Alaska. It has erupted at least two dozen times over the past several thousand years, with the last eruption occurring in 1995.From the Wikipedia article “Makushin Volcano”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Makushin Volcano the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 46° (NE) at the June solstice and 131° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 314° (NW) in June to 229° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 60° in summer but only 13° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:10 AM | 89° E | 9:21 PM | 271° W | 36° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 46° NE | 11:44 PM | 314° NW | 60° | 17h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:54 AM | 89° E | 9:08 PM | 272° W | 36° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:25 AM | 131° SE | 5:48 PM | 229° SW | 13° | 7h 23m |
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
Volcanic cones and lava fields have strong shapes that read well in side-light; dark basalt needs careful exposure.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:37 AM | 10:18 AM | 11:21 AM | 5:14 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:59 PM | 7h 59m |
| February | 8:51 AM | 9:28 AM | 10:19 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:54 PM | 9h 50m |
| March | 8:48 AM | 9:23 AM | 10:10 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:12 PM | 9:47 PM | 11h 49m |
| April | 7:29 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:55 AM | 9:22 PM | 10:09 PM | 10:47 PM | 14h 02m |
| May | 6:20 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:59 AM | 10:11 PM | 11:04 PM | 11:49 PM | 15h 58m |
| June | 5:42 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:35 AM | 10:43 PM | 11:42 PM | 12:36 AM | 17h 05m |
| July | 6:07 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:53 AM | 10:36 PM | 11:32 PM | 12:22 AM | 16h 36m |
| August | 7:07 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:37 AM | 9:49 PM | 10:39 PM | 11:19 PM | 14h 52m |
| September | 8:06 AM | 8:42 AM | 9:28 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:25 PM | 10:01 PM | 12h 43m |
| October | 9:01 AM | 9:36 AM | 10:25 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:47 PM | 10h 36m |
| November | 8:57 AM | 9:36 AM | 10:35 AM | 5:12 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:50 PM | 8h 34m |
| December | 9:37 AM | 10:21 AM | 11:30 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:30 PM | 7h 26m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.92 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 October as the clearest month (about 84% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (90%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 43 | 44 | 51 | 52 | 59 | 60 | 57 | 53 | 50 | 45 |
| Low °F | 19 | 19 | 19 | 26 | 30 | 38 | 42 | 45 | 41 | 35 | 30 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 6.5 |
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 volcano
- Lava rock is sharp and unstable; stay on trails.
- Long lenses from 20–60 miles away make large stratovolcanoes dominate the horizon.
- Check local volcanic activity notices and area closures before visiting.
- Snow-capped volcanoes reflect alpenglow at sunrise — shoot from a lake or meadow for a reflection.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer for high trails; winter and spring for snowy cones viewed from below.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Tripod, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Makushin Volcano, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Makushin Volcano?
What time is golden hour at Makushin Volcano?
Where does the sun rise and set at Makushin Volcano?
Can you see the Milky Way from Makushin Volcano?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Makushin Volcano?
How far is Makushin Volcano from Dutch Harbor?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.