Horseshoe Bay is a dark sky place in Llano County, Texas. It is certified as an International Dark Sky Community by DarkSky International.
Horseshoe Bay is a city in Llano and Burnet counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Situated on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson and the south branch of the Colorado River, it is known in the region for its golf courses, hotel and resort, and water sports. Prior to its incorporation in September 2005, it was a census-designated place (CDP). The CDP population was 3,337 at the 2000 census. The 2010 census put the population at 3,418. The 2020 Decennial Census reported population was 4,257.From the Wikipedia article “Horseshoe Bay, Texas”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horseshoe Bay 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:38 AM | 90° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 62° ENE | 8:40 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:27 AM | 117° ESE | 5:37 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 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
Certified dark sky places offer protected night skies — plan around the new moon and the Milky Way core season.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:06 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:05 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:50 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 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 Horseshoe Bay, 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 6:22 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:05 AM – 5:35 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 12:02 AM – 5:02 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:15 PM – 4:45 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 1:23 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:23 PM – 9:23 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.27 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 May as the cloudiest (57%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 85 | 92 | 92 | 101 | 103 | 107 | 111 | 110 | 107 | 100 | 90 | 85 |
| Low °F | 18 | 15 | 19 | 31 | 41 | 58 | 62 | 62 | 48 | 29 | 23 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 4.2 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
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 dark sky place
- Use the NPF rule below to choose the longest exposure before stars trail.
- Many parks host star parties and night programs during summer.
- Use the Milky Way table to find months and hours when the core is above the horizon.
- Use red light only and keep it pointed down to protect others' night vision.
- Set focus on a bright star with live-view magnification, then tape the focus ring.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Milky Way core season runs roughly March to October; winter offers long nights and bright winter constellations.
Suggested gear: Fast wide lens (f/1.4–f/2.8), Sturdy tripod, Red headlamp, Intervalometer. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Horseshoe Bay, closest first.
Lake
Mountain Peak
Natural Arch
Cave
Mountain Peak
State Park
Lake
WaterfallState ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horseshoe Bay?
What time is golden hour at Horseshoe Bay?
Where does the sun rise and set at Horseshoe Bay?
Can you see the Milky Way from Horseshoe Bay?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Horseshoe Bay?
How far is Horseshoe Bay from Horseshoe Bay?
Sources
Location data: DarkSky International (via 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.