Erie Zoo — a botanical garden in Erie County, Pennsylvania — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Erie, about 3.7 km (2.3 mi) away (Erie Zoo lies SSE of town).
The Erie Zoo (formally Erie Zoological Park and Botanical Garden of Northwestern Pennsylvania), is a zoological park in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is located on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land in Glenwood Park, just off West 38th Street between Cherry Street and Glenwood Park Avenue. The zoo has more than 400 animals, while the botanical gardens and greenhouse have over 600 species of plants from around the world. The zoo, which operates from March to November, attracts more than 400,000 annual visitors. The Erie Zoo was a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) until 2021. As of September 2023, the zoo is still not a member of the AZA., but the zoo intends to regain accreditation.From the Wikipedia article “Erie Zoo”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Erie Zoo the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (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) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 57° ENE | 9:00 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 122° ESE | 4:52 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:11 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Erie Zoo, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 5:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:52 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:01 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:10 PM – 3:30 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 2:10 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 12:09 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.6 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (85%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 51 | 52 | 68 | 67 | 77 | 84 | 86 | 85 | 83 | 79 | 66 | 57 |
| Low °F | -4 | -10 | 0 | 21 | 33 | 42 | 52 | 57 | 44 | 35 | 22 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
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
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Erie Zoo, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Erie Zoo?
What time is golden hour at Erie Zoo?
Where does the sun rise and set at Erie Zoo?
Can you see the Milky Way from Erie Zoo?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Erie Zoo?
How far is Erie Zoo from Erie?
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.