Located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, Aladdin City is a ghost town. It sits roughly 5.4 km (3.4 mi) SSW of Richmond West.
Aladdin City is an unincorporated community in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Miami within the unincorporated community of Redland. The site of a Moorish architecture style planned community, development was snuffed out by the abrupt end of the Florida land boom of the 1920s. Opa-locka, Coral Gables, and Miami Springs, Florida were also themed developments.From the Wikipedia article “Aladdin City, Florida”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Aladdin City the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (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 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:32 AM | 64° ENE | 8:16 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 116° ESE | 5:37 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 32m |
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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:20 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 43m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 18m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 45m |
| May | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 23m |
| June | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 43m |
| July | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 35m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 03m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 35m |
| November | 6:16 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 54m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 33m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Aladdin City, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 36° 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.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.5 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 4:55 AM | 7.2 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:44 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.7 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 9:32 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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 ≈ 18.76 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 81 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
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 ghost town
- For interiors with windows, blend two exposures (one for inside, one for the view) instead of relying on HDR alone.
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Private property: Many ghost towns sit on private land or protected historic sites. Respect signs, never enter unstable buildings and leave artifacts in place.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Aladdin City, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Long Pine Key Campground28 km (17 mi)
- Boca Chita Campground28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Elliot Key Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Aladdin City?
What time is golden hour at Aladdin City?
Where does the sun rise and set at Aladdin City?
Can you see the Milky Way from Aladdin City?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Aladdin City?
How far is Aladdin City from Richmond West?
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.