Western portal and southern side of the Ceylon Covered Bridge, which formerly spanned the Wabash River northeast of Ceylon in Wabash Township, Adams County, Ind
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40.6142° N84.9431° WBortle 4Indianapolis

Ceylon Covered Bridge Photography Guide

Covered Bridge in Adams County, Indiana

  • Bortle 4 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Nyttend · Public domain · source

Ceylon Covered Bridge is a covered bridge in Adams County, Indiana. It sits roughly 2.7 km (1.7 mi) NNE of Geneva. It dates from 1862. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Ceylon Covered Bridge is a historic covered bridge over the Wabash River and located at Wabash Township, Adams County, Indiana. It was built in 1879 by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio, and is a 130-foot-long (40 m) truss bridge. It the only remaining covered bridge over the Wabash. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.From the Wikipedia article “Ceylon Covered Bridge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
Geneva
2.7 km (1.7 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 4
Rural / suburban transition
Clearest month
September
46% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:24 PM
sunset 7:01 PM

Light at Ceylon Covered Bridge

Live
Sunrise
7:57 AM
Sunset
6:54 PM
Golden hour AM
7:40 AM – 8:34 AM
Golden hour PM
6:16 PM – 7:11 PM
Blue hour AM
7:29 AM – 7:40 AM
Blue hour PM
7:11 PM – 7:21 PM
Full darkness
8:25 PM – 6:27 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
4:09 PM / 1:55 AM
Day length
10h 57m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/Indiana/Indianapolis. 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 Ceylon Covered Bridge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:44 AM90° E7:52 PM271° W49°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:10 AM58° ENE9:15 PM303° WNW73°15h 05m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:28 AM89° E7:39 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)8:01 AM121° ESE5:16 PM239° WSW26°9h 16m

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

Covered bridges look their best with soft side-light and a backdrop of fall color, snow or fresh spring green.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January7:32 AM8:02 AM8:44 AM4:55 PM5:37 PM6:08 PM9h 35m
February7:07 AM7:35 AM8:13 AM5:37 PM6:15 PM6:43 PM10h 40m
March7:25 AM7:52 AM8:29 AM7:11 PM7:47 PM8:14 PM11h 54m
April6:33 AM7:02 AM7:38 AM7:42 PM8:19 PM8:47 PM13h 17m
May5:53 AM6:24 AM7:03 AM8:11 PM8:50 PM9:21 PM14h 26m
June5:36 AM6:09 AM6:50 AM8:32 PM9:13 PM9:46 PM15h 04m
July5:50 AM6:22 AM7:03 AM8:30 PM9:10 PM9:43 PM14h 48m
August6:22 AM6:51 AM7:29 AM8:02 PM8:39 PM9:09 PM13h 48m
September6:54 AM7:21 AM7:57 AM7:15 PM7:51 PM8:18 PM12h 29m
October7:24 AM7:51 AM8:28 AM6:24 PM7:01 PM7:29 PM11h 10m
November6:58 AM7:27 AM8:08 AM4:43 PM5:23 PM5:53 PM9h 56m
December7:26 AM7:57 AM8:41 AM4:31 PM5:14 PM5:45 PM9h 17m

Local time (America/Indiana/Indianapolis), 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 Ceylon Covered Bridge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:57 AM – 5:57 AM0.011°SE → SE
March5:08 AM – 6:18 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April3:07 AM – 5:17 AM2.220°SE → S
May1:02 AM – 4:22 AM3.321°SE → S
June11:18 PM – 3:58 AM4.721°SSE → SSW
July11:09 PM – 2:39 AM3.521°S → SW
August10:22 PM – 12:32 AM2.220°S → SW
September9:24 PM – 10:34 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October8:32 PM – 8:32 PM0.011°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.99 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (77%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F64718181901011029796907869
Low °F-14-1032125404747372710-9
Precip. (in)2.52.43.03.74.34.23.73.43.13.03.02.8

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 covered bridge

  • Inside the bridge, the timber trusses make strong symmetrical compositions — use a tripod for long exposures.
  • Many covered bridges still carry traffic; stay off the roadway and watch for vehicles.
  • Overcast days keep contrast low between the dark interior and the bright surroundings.
  • Autumn foliage peaks are the most popular time — visit on weekdays to avoid crowds.
  • Shoot from the stream bank to show the bridge, the water and its reflection together.
  • Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.

Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Polarizer for foliage. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Ceylon Covered Bridge, closest first.

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Ceylon Covered Bridge?
September 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. Peak fall color is the classic season; winter snow and spring blossoms are less crowded alternatives.
What time is golden hour at Ceylon Covered Bridge?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:24 PM and ends after sunset at about 7:01 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 8:28 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Ceylon Covered Bridge?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Ceylon Covered Bridge?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ceylon Covered Bridge?
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 Ceylon Covered Bridge from Geneva?
About 2.7 km (1.7 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.