Becharof National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska. The nearest town is Kodiak, about 228 km (142 mi) away (Becharof National Wildlife Refuge lies W of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “protected area in Alaska, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Becharof National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 40° (NE) at the June solstice and 137° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 321° (NW) in June to 224° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 55° in summer but only 9° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:27 AM | 89° E | 8:39 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:22 AM | 40° NE | 11:33 PM | 321° NW | 55° | 18h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:11 AM | 88° E | 8:26 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:10 AM | 137° SE | 4:38 PM | 224° SW | 9° | 6h 27m |
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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9:11 AM | 9:59 AM | 11:19 AM | 3:52 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:59 PM | 7h 12m |
| February | 8:16 AM | 8:57 AM | 9:56 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:23 PM | 7:04 PM | 9h 26m |
| March | 8:02 AM | 8:41 AM | 9:34 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:07 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:37 PM | 10:20 PM | 14h 23m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:03 AM | 9:42 PM | 10:43 PM | 11:39 PM | 16h 42m |
| June | 4:07 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:33 AM | 10:20 PM | 11:31 PM | 12:45 AM | 18h 08m |
| July | 4:42 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:53 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:17 PM | 12:21 AM | 17h 30m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:45 AM | 9:15 PM | 10:11 PM | 10:58 PM | 15h 22m |
| September | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:48 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:26 PM | 12h 50m |
| October | 8:21 AM | 9:01 AM | 9:56 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 10h 21m |
| November | 8:27 AM | 9:13 AM | 10:23 AM | 3:58 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:54 PM | 7h 56m |
| December | 9:14 AM | 10:06 AM | 11:39 AM | 3:03 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:28 PM | 6h 30m |
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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| 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 2.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 66% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 43 | 44 | 48 | 62 | 74 | 81 | 87 | 80 | 71 | 58 | 49 | 44 |
| Low °F | -37 | -33 | -24 | -5 | 19 | 35 | 41 | 38 | 25 | -2 | -21 | -29 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 1.8 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Becharof National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Becharof National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Becharof National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Becharof National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Becharof National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Becharof National Wildlife Refuge from Kodiak?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.