Located in Prince William County, Virginia, Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Cherry Hill, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge lies NNE of town).
The Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located along the Potomac River in Virginia, at the point where it meets Neabsco Creek. The 325 acres (1.32 km2) of tidal marsh has been administered by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service since 1970; currently, it is part of the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The refuge covers wetlands and woodlands, and has a railroad right-of-way bordering its western edge. It is currently accessible only by boat, but has been considered as a possible portion of the route for the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.From the Wikipedia article “Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Featherstone 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 59° ENE | 8:38 PM | 302° WNW | 75° | 14h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 120° ESE | 4:52 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 28m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 46m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 16m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 51m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 36m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 41m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:32 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 05m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 29m |
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 Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:06 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:11 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:43 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 76 | 76 | 81 | 95 | 93 | 100 | 106 | 105 | 99 | 98 | 80 | 76 |
| Low °F | 2 | -2 | -1 | 23 | 32 | 45 | 52 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 20 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.2 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Prince William Forest Rv Park8.4 km (5.2 mi)
- Telegraph Picnic Pavilion8.6 km (5.3 mi) · reservable
- Cabin Camp 39.7 km (6.0 mi) · reservable
- Turkey Run Ridge Group10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Chopawamsic Backcountry Camping Permits13.7 km (8.5 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Featherstone National Wildlife Refuge from Cherry Hill?
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.