Andytown is a ghost town in Broward County, Florida. The nearest town is Weston, about 6.6 km (4.1 mi) away (Andytown lies NW of town).
Andytown was a town located in Broward County, Florida, United States at the intersection of U.S. 27 and I-75. It was demolished in 1979 in order to allow for the expansion of the Alligator Alley portion of Interstate 75. When SR-84 (also known as "Alligator Alley") and US-27 were each two-lane roads, the intersection was controlled by a traffic light. At the southeast corner of that intersection, there was a gas station with a convenience store, restaurant, bar, motel and a trailer where the Andytown pioneers (the Tsanos family of Kosta "Gus"/ Andy's nephew, his wife Litsa and daughter Sophia Tsanos) lived until 1972. Gus and Litsa ( also Greek immigrants) worked at Andytown since 1964. Litsa's brother John Theodore ran the gas station.From the Wikipedia article “Andytown, Florida”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Andytown 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 63° ENE | 8:18 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 116° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 30m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 41m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 17m |
| 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 | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:09 PM | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 25m |
| June | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:42 PM | 13h 46m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 37m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:28 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 04m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 52m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 31m |
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 Andytown, 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 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.2 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:38 PM – 5:08 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 4:57 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:46 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:22 PM – 1:32 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.7 | 32° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.27 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 87 | 94 | 95 | 98 | 98 | 96 | 94 | 92 | 90 | 89 | 86 |
| Low °F | 28 | 33 | 36 | 49 | 57 | 69 | 73 | 73 | 67 | 46 | 42 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 4.4 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 3.5 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
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 ghost town
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Andytown, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Andytown?
What time is golden hour at Andytown?
Where does the sun rise and set at Andytown?
Can you see the Milky Way from Andytown?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Andytown?
How far is Andytown from Weston?
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.