Estero is a city of about 30,799 people in Lee County, Florida. Today the sun rises at 7:30 AM and sets at 6:56 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:24 PM – 7:10 PM. Below are monthly times, sun directions, the best photo locations within 80 km and the nearest dark skies.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour by month
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 40m |
| February | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 26m |
| June | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 47m |
| July | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 39m |
| August | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 05m |
| September | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 51m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 29m |
Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Estero
At Estero the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
Best photo spots near Estero
27 photo locations lie within 80 km of Estero. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
Scenic Viewpoints
State Parks
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State ParkLighthouses
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LighthouseBeaches
Botanical Gardens
National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife RefugeNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Estero is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Smih Shoal Light, about 192 km (119 mi) away (Bortle 2). The Milky Way core is up during darkness from February to October, best in June.
Darkest skies within 200 km
| Location | Type | Distance | Est. Bortle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smih Shoal Light | Lighthouse | 192 km (119 mi) | 2 |
| Smith Shoal Light (historical) | Lighthouse | 192 km (119 mi) | 2 |
| Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 195 km (121 mi) | 2 |
| Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 52 km (32 mi) | 3 |
| Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park | State Park | 62 km (39 mi) | 3 |
| Gaging Station | Scenic Viewpoint | 70 km (43 mi) | 3 |
| Big Bear Beach | Beach | 99 km (62 mi) | 3 |
| Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 114 km (71 mi) | 3 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 21° |
| March | 3:43 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.5 | 31° |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 4.0 | 35° |
| May | 11:44 PM – 5:14 AM | 5.5 | 35° |
| June | 9:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 7.2 | 35° |
| July | 9:52 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.7 | 35° |
| August | 9:27 PM – 1:27 AM | 4.0 | 35° |
| September | 8:50 PM – 11:30 PM | 2.7 | 32° |
| October | 8:17 PM – 9:27 PM | 1.2 | 22° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.