Located in Iron County, Missouri, Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Ironton, about 2.3 km (1.4 mi) away (Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge lies N of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (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 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 59° ENE | 8:28 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 46m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 120° ESE | 4:48 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 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
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 51m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 45m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 31m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:53 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 10m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 35m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:00 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:37 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:10 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:09 AM – 3:59 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:19 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:13 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 12:13 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:10 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:13 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.66 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 September as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 70 | 73 | 83 | 87 | 95 | 110 | 111 | 107 | 100 | 95 | 81 | 71 |
| Low °F | -5 | -1 | 6 | 21 | 32 | 47 | 53 | 49 | 38 | 24 | 12 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 3.4 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Fire Lookout
State Park
Mountain Peak
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge from Ironton?
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.