Located in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska, Amna Waterfall is a waterfall.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Amna Waterfall the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 47° (NE) at the June solstice and 130° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 313° (NW) in June to 230° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 61° in summer but only 14° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:33 AM | 89° E | 9:44 PM | 271° W | 37° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 7:05 AM | 47° NE | 12:00 AM | 313° NW | 61° | 16h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 9:17 AM | 89° E | 9:30 PM | 272° W | 37° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:42 AM | 130° SE | 6:16 PM | 230° SW | 14° | 7h 34m |
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
Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:56 AM | 10:36 AM | 11:36 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:25 PM | 8h 09m |
| February | 9:12 AM | 9:48 AM | 10:38 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:18 PM | 9h 55m |
| March | 9:11 AM | 9:45 AM | 10:31 AM | 8:49 PM | 9:35 PM | 10:09 PM | 11h 50m |
| April | 7:55 AM | 8:32 AM | 9:18 AM | 9:43 PM | 10:30 PM | 11:07 PM | 13h 58m |
| May | 6:49 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:24 AM | 10:30 PM | 11:22 PM | 12:06 AM | 15h 49m |
| June | 6:14 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:02 AM | 11:01 PM | 11:58 PM | 12:49 AM | 16h 53m |
| July | 6:37 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:19 AM | 10:55 PM | 11:49 PM | 12:37 AM | 16h 25m |
| August | 7:34 AM | 8:13 AM | 9:01 AM | 10:10 PM | 10:58 PM | 11:37 PM | 14h 45m |
| September | 8:31 AM | 9:05 AM | 9:51 AM | 9:02 PM | 9:47 PM | 10:22 PM | 12h 42m |
| October | 9:22 AM | 9:57 AM | 10:45 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:11 PM | 10h 39m |
| November | 9:16 AM | 9:55 AM | 10:51 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:37 PM | 7:15 PM | 8h 42m |
| December | 9:56 AM | 10:38 AM | 11:44 AM | 5:09 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:57 PM | 7h 37m |
Local time (America/Adak), 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 | — | -7° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 83% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (95%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 41 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 45 | 48 | 54 | 56 | 57 | 52 | 49 | 46 |
| Low °F | 23 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 33 | 36 | 41 | 44 | 43 | 36 | 27 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 3.6 |
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 waterfall
- Shoot a vertical and a horizontal frame; tall falls often work better in portrait orientation.
- Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
- A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
- Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
- Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, 3–6 stop ND filter, Lens cloth, Waterproof footwear. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Amna Waterfall, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Amna Waterfall?
What time is golden hour at Amna Waterfall?
Where does the sun rise and set at Amna Waterfall?
Can you see the Milky Way from Amna Waterfall?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Amna Waterfall?
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.