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29.7855° N84.8930° W1 mBortle 2Monticello

Sand Beach Photography Guide

Beach in Franklin County, Florida · 1 m (3 ft)

  • Bortle 2 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: May
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct

Located in Franklin County, Florida, Sand Beach is a beach. It sits roughly 5.6 km (3.5 mi) NNW of Eastpoint.

Elevation
1 m
3 ft
Nearest town
Eastpoint
5.6 km (3.5 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 2
Typical truly dark site
Clearest month
May
37% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:38 PM
sunset 7:10 PM

Light at Sand Beach

Live
Sunrise
7:45 AM
Sunset
7:05 PM
Golden hour AM
7:30 AM – 8:18 AM
Golden hour PM
6:33 PM – 7:20 PM
Blue hour AM
7:21 AM – 7:30 AM
Blue hour PM
7:20 PM – 7:29 PM
Full darkness
8:25 PM – 6:26 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:52 PM / 2:15 AM
Day length
11h 20m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Kentucky/Monticello. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Sand Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:44 AM90° E7:51 PM271° W60°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:40 AM62° ENE8:44 PM298° WNW84°14h 04m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:29 AM89° E7:38 PM271° W60°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:32 AM117° ESE5:45 PM243° WSW37°10h 14m

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

Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:11 AM7:36 AM8:12 AM5:28 PM6:03 PM6:28 PM10h 26m
February6:56 AM7:20 AM7:53 AM5:56 PM6:29 PM6:53 PM11h 09m
March7:27 AM7:50 AM8:22 AM7:17 PM7:48 PM8:12 PM11h 58m
April6:49 AM7:14 AM7:46 AM7:35 PM8:07 PM8:31 PM12h 53m
May6:21 AM6:47 AM7:21 AM7:53 PM8:26 PM8:52 PM13h 39m
June6:12 AM6:39 AM7:14 AM8:07 PM8:42 PM9:10 PM14h 03m
July6:23 AM6:50 AM7:24 AM8:08 PM8:43 PM9:09 PM13h 53m
August6:43 AM7:08 AM7:41 AM7:49 PM8:22 PM8:47 PM13h 14m
September7:01 AM7:25 AM7:57 AM7:15 PM7:46 PM8:10 PM12h 21m
October7:18 AM7:42 AM8:14 AM6:38 PM7:10 PM7:34 PM11h 28m
November6:40 AM7:05 AM7:39 AM5:11 PM5:45 PM6:10 PM10h 40m
December7:02 AM7:28 AM8:04 AM5:07 PM5:43 PM6:09 PM10h 15m

Local time (America/Kentucky/Monticello), 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 Sand Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—2°—
February5:00 AM – 5:50 AM0.818°SE → SE
March4:08 AM – 6:28 AM2.328°SE → SSE
April2:10 AM – 5:40 AM3.531°SE → S
May12:07 AM – 5:17 AM5.231°SE → SSW
June10:19 PM – 4:59 AM6.731°SE → SW
July10:16 PM – 3:36 AM5.331°SSE → SW
August9:48 PM – 1:28 AM3.731°S → SW
September9:07 PM – 11:27 PM2.328°SSW → SW
October8:30 PM – 9:30 PM1.020°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—4°—
DecemberBelow 10° in darkness—-18°—

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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.

Average cloud cover (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F727175788489909089867973
Low °F344042536071787869554640
Precip. (in)3.95.03.93.83.08.48.69.65.93.43.14.5

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 beach

  • Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
  • Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
  • Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
  • Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
  • Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.

Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.

Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Tides

The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is WHITE BEACH, EAST BAY, 518 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.

High & low tides — next 3 days

NOAA

Loading predictions…

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Sand Beach, closest first.

Scenic Viewpoint
Sand Beach1.7 km away · Franklin County
Scenic Viewpoint
East Bay Fire Tower4.8 km away · Franklin County · 2 m
Scenic Viewpoint
Dwarf Cypress11 km away · Franklin County
John Gorrie State MuseumState Park
John Gorrie State Museum11 km away · Franklin County
Orman HouseState Park
Orman House11 km away · Franklin County
St. George Island State ParkState Park
St. George Island State Park16 km away · Franklin County
Crooked River LightLighthouse
Crooked River Light19 km away · Franklin County
Sand Dunes
Sand Dunes19 km away · Franklin County
Dog Island LightLighthouse
Dog Island Light22 km away · Franklin County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Sand Beach?
May has the clearest skies on average; june is best for the milky way core. For light, plan around the first and last hour of sun. Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
What time is golden hour at Sand Beach?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:38 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:10 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:14 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Sand Beach?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 62° in June to 117° in December; sunset ranges from 298° to 243°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Sand Beach?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sand Beach?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Sand Beach from Eastpoint?
About 5.6 km (3.5 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.