Georgetown, Texas (2018)
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30.6078° N97.6878° WBortle 7Chicago

Inner Space Cavern Photography Guide

Cave in Williamson County, Texas

  • Bortle 7 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 243°–298°
  • Clearest: August
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Another Believer · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Located in Williamson County, Texas, Inner Space Cavern is a cave. The nearest town is Georgetown, about 2.9 km (1.8 mi) away (Inner Space Cavern lies SSW of town).

Inner Space Cavern (Also known as Laubach Cave) is a karst cave located in Georgetown, Texas. The cavern was formed by water passing through Edwards limestone. The cavern is estimated to be around 12–25 million years old but was open to the surface during the late Pleistocene period 10,000–45,000 years ago. It was discovered by the Texas Highway Department in 1963.From the Wikipedia article “Inner Space Cavern”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Georgetown
2.9 km (1.8 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 7
Suburban / urban transition
Clearest month
August
38% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.5 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:28 PM
sunset 7:01 PM

Light at Inner Space Cavern

Live
Sunrise
7:37 AM
Sunset
6:55 PM
Golden hour AM
7:22 AM – 8:10 AM
Golden hour PM
6:23 PM – 7:10 PM
Blue hour AM
7:13 AM – 7:22 AM
Blue hour PM
7:10 PM – 7:20 PM
Full darkness
8:16 PM – 6:17 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:46 PM / 2:07 AM
Day length
11h 18m
Sunrise azimuth
102°
Sunset azimuth
258°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Chicago. 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 Inner Space Cavern 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 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:35 AM90° E7:43 PM271° W59°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:29 AM62° ENE8:37 PM298° WNW83°14h 08m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:20 AM89° E7:29 PM271° W60°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:25 AM117° ESE5:35 PM243° WSW36°10h 10m

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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:03 AM7:29 AM8:05 AM5:17 PM5:52 PM6:18 PM10h 23m
February6:48 AM7:12 AM7:45 AM5:46 PM6:19 PM6:44 PM11h 07m
March7:18 AM7:42 AM8:13 AM7:08 PM7:39 PM8:03 PM11h 58m
April6:39 AM7:04 AM7:36 AM7:27 PM7:59 PM8:24 PM12h 55m
May6:11 AM6:37 AM7:11 AM7:45 PM8:19 PM8:45 PM13h 42m
June6:01 AM6:29 AM7:04 AM8:00 PM8:36 PM9:03 PM14h 07m
July6:12 AM6:39 AM7:14 AM8:01 PM8:36 PM9:03 PM13h 56m
August6:33 AM6:58 AM7:31 AM7:41 PM8:14 PM8:40 PM13h 16m
September6:52 AM7:16 AM7:48 AM7:06 PM7:38 PM8:02 PM12h 22m
October7:09 AM7:34 AM8:06 AM6:28 PM7:01 PM7:25 PM11h 27m
November6:32 AM6:58 AM7:32 AM5:00 PM5:35 PM6:00 PM10h 37m
December6:55 AM7:21 AM7:58 AM4:56 PM5:32 PM5:59 PM10h 11m

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 Inner Space Cavern, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—1°—
February4:51 AM – 5:51 AM1.019°SE → SE
March4:00 AM – 6:20 AM2.327°SE → SSE
April2:03 AM – 5:33 AM3.531°SE → S
May12:00 AM – 5:00 AM5.031°SE → SSW
June10:13 PM – 4:43 AM6.531°SE → SW
July10:10 PM – 3:20 AM5.231°SSE → SW
August9:41 PM – 1:21 AM3.731°S → SW
September8:59 PM – 11:19 PM2.328°SSW → SW
October8:21 PM – 9:21 PM1.019°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: 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 ≈ 18.49 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February 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 °F8590921011051101121121081018984
Low °F171721344361656550332321
Precip. (in)2.31.92.92.54.33.12.32.43.53.72.41.9

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 cave

  • Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
  • Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
  • 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.
  • Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.

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.

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Inner Space Cavern?
August 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. Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
What time is golden hour at Inner Space Cavern?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:28 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:01 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:06 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Inner Space Cavern?
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 Inner Space Cavern?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Inner Space Cavern?
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 Inner Space Cavern from Georgetown?
About 2.9 km (1.8 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.