First American Cave — a cave in Davidson County, Tennessee — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers.
The First American Cave is an archaeological and paleontological site in downtown Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. The site was initially recognized in 1971 during construction of the foundations for the First American National Bank building at 315 Deaderick Street, when workers noticed a collection of bones being unearthed within a pocket of dirt approximately 30 feet below ground surface. Excavations were halted and both the Vanderbilt University Department of Anthropology and the Southeastern Indian Antiquities Survey were notified of the find. It was subsequently determined that the bones included those of humans, as well as a number of animal species, including a saber-tooth cat. The dirt pocket from which the bones had been disinterred was in fact a filled in cave, most of which had been destroyed by construction. The Southeastern Indian Antiquities Survey was given...From the Wikipedia article “First American Cave”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At First American Cave the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 60° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 119° ESE | 4:37 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:31 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 First American Cave, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:50 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:42 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 3:58 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:57 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:52 PM – 2:12 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:14 PM – 12:04 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:03 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:38 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| 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 ≈ 18.77 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 71 | 74 | 81 | 83 | 90 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 101 | 97 | 86 | 73 |
| Low °F | 2 | -5 | 3 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 54 | 50 | 38 | 26 | 8 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.8 |
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 cave
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of First American Cave, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Cook Day Use Area16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Anderson Road Campground17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Old Hickory Beach17.2 km (10.7 mi) · reservable
- Rockland Recreation Area18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
- Seven Points (Tn)19.1 km (11.9 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph First American Cave?
What time is golden hour at First American Cave?
Where does the sun rise and set at First American Cave?
Can you see the Milky Way from First American Cave?
Do you need a permit to photograph at First American Cave?
How far is First American Cave from Nashville?
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.