Silver Springs is a botanical garden in Marion County, Florida. It is part of Silver Springs State Park. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Silver Springs is a group of artesian springs that feed into the Silver River in Marion County, Florida. It is the largest artesian spring in the world and the site of the oldest commercial tourist attraction in Florida, and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971. Its main features are the glass-bottom boat tours on the river, which have operated there, in various forms, since 1878. Long privately owned and operated, the springs area was formerly the site of a small amusement park, Silver Springs Nature Theme Park.From the Wikipedia article “Silver Springs (attraction)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Silver Springs 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 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 62° ENE | 8:31 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 117° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 37° | 10h 16m |
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
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 00m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 50m |
| August | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 42m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 17m |
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 Silver Springs, 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 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), 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 | 4:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:57 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:05 PM – 4:45 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:18 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| December | Below 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.57 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 83 | 88 | 95 | 97 | 102 | 103 | 100 | 99 | 96 | 94 | 88 | 84 |
| Low °F | 20 | 22 | 29 | 37 | 50 | 64 | 66 | 65 | 55 | 34 | 27 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.6 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 5.7 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 2.9 |
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 botanical garden
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Silver Springs, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Lake
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Fore Lake Campground14.4 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Lake Shore Group Camp14.8 km (9.2 mi) · reservable
- Lake Eaton Campground18.8 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Mill Dam Group Camp22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Doe Lake Group Site30 km (19 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Silver Springs?
What time is golden hour at Silver Springs?
Where does the sun rise and set at Silver Springs?
Can you see the Milky Way from Silver Springs?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Silver Springs?
How far is Silver Springs from Silver Springs?
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.