Merritt Island is a city of about 34,743 people in Brevard County, Florida. Today the sun rises at 7:27 AM and sets at 6:49 PM; the evening golden hour runs 6:17 PM – 7:04 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 | 5:14 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 32m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:33 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 33m |
| June | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 56m |
| July | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 47m |
| August | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 10m |
| September | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:24 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 45m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 21m |
Local time in America/New York, daylight saving time included.
Where the sun rises and sets in Merritt Island
At Merritt Island the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
Best photo spots near Merritt Island
22 photo locations lie within 80 km of Merritt Island. Each links to a full planning page with sunrise and sunset directions.
State Parks
Lakes
Lighthouses
Beaches
Beach
BeachBeachBeachBeachBeachBotanical Gardens
National Wildlife Refuges
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife RefugeNight sky, Milky Way & aurora
The sky over central Merritt Island is estimated at Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition). The nearest truly dark location in our database is Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area, about 85 km (53 mi) away (Bortle 3). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area | National Wildlife Refuge | 85 km (53 mi) | 3 |
| Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park | Dark Sky Place | 91 km (57 mi) | 3 |
| Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park | State Park | 91 km (57 mi) | 3 |
| Lake Istokpoga | Lake | 125 km (78 mi) | 3 |
| Lake Wales Ridge National Wildlife Refuge | National Wildlife Refuge | 127 km (79 mi) | 3 |
| Lake George | Lake | 136 km (84 mi) | 3 |
| Dunns Creek | State Park | 152 km (94 mi) | 3 |
| Johns Landing Trailhead | Fire Lookout | 154 km (96 mi) | 3 |
| Month | Milky Way core window (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.0 | 20° |
| March | 3:50 AM – 6:10 AM | 2.3 | 29° |
| April | 1:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 3.8 | 33° |
| May | 11:45 PM – 4:55 AM | 5.2 | 33° |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:46 AM | 6.8 | 33° |
| July | 9:54 PM – 3:24 AM | 5.5 | 33° |
| August | 9:27 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.8 | 33° |
| September | 8:48 PM – 11:18 PM | 2.5 | 30° |
| October | 8:13 PM – 9:23 PM | 1.2 | 21° |
Cloud cover by month
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (58%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.