Bayport — a ghost town in Hernando County, Florida — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Weeki Wachee Gardens, about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away (Bayport lies NW of town).
Bayport is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hernando County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, Bayport had a population of 45.From the Wikipedia article “Bayport, Florida”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bayport 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 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:34 AM | 63° ENE | 8:32 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 117° ESE | 5:39 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 34m |
| June | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 57m |
| July | 6:17 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 47m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 10m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 20m |
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 Bayport, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 33° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:54 PM – 5:04 AM | 5.2 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:05 PM – 4:55 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 1:26 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 11:27 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.39 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (68%). 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 (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 82 | 85 | 92 | 95 | 97 | 97 | 96 | 94 | 92 | 90 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 26 | 30 | 36 | 44 | 57 | 68 | 71 | 70 | 61 | 43 | 37 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 9.6 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.9 | 2.6 |
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 ghost town
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Bayport, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bayport?
What time is golden hour at Bayport?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bayport?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bayport?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bayport?
How far is Bayport from Weeki Wachee Gardens?
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.