Sonnenberg Gardens — a botanical garden in Ontario County, New York — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park. It sits roughly 3.1 km (1.9 mi) NNE of Canandaigua. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park is a 50-acre (20 ha) state park located at 151 Charlotte Street in Canandaigua, New York, at the north end of Canandaigua Lake, in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York. The house and gardens are open to the public every day, May through October.From the Wikipedia article “Sonnenberg Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sonnenberg Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 56° ENE | 8:52 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 122° ESE | 4:38 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 01m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Sonnenberg Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:50 AM – 5:40 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:56 AM – 3:36 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:08 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:47 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 11:42 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 9:48 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 75 | 82 | 88 | 93 | 97 | 97 | 94 | 86 | 74 | 66 |
| Low °F | -10 | -13 | -7 | 12 | 24 | 35 | 45 | 45 | 35 | 23 | -1 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sonnenberg Gardens, closest first.
Mountain Peak
State Park
Lake
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sonnenberg Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Sonnenberg Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sonnenberg Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sonnenberg Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sonnenberg Gardens?
How far is Sonnenberg Gardens from Canandaigua?
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.