Lake Washington (Florida)
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28.1477° N80.7429° W4 mBortle 5New York

Lake Washington Photography Guide

Lake in Brevard County, Florida · 4 m (13 ft)

  • Bortle 5 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 244°–297°
  • Clearest: April
  • Milky Way Feb–Oct
Photo: Ebyabe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Lake Washington is a lake in Brevard County, Florida. It sits roughly 10.4 km (6.5 mi) NW of June Park.

Lake Washington is the largest lake in Brevard County, Florida, United States, at 4,362 acres (17.65 km2). The lake may have been named for the U.S. Deputy Surveyor Colonel Henry Washington, after he surveyed the area in 1844.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Washington (Florida)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Elevation
4 m
13 ft
Nearest town
June Park
10.4 km (6.5 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 5
Suburban sky
Clearest month
April
43% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
6.8 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
6:23 PM
sunset 6:55 PM

Light at Lake Washington

Live
Sunrise
7:27 AM
Sunset
6:50 PM
Golden hour AM
7:12 AM – 7:59 AM
Golden hour PM
6:18 PM – 7:04 PM
Blue hour AM
7:03 AM – 7:12 AM
Blue hour PM
7:04 PM – 7:14 PM
Full darkness
8:08 PM – 6:09 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:33 PM / 2:01 AM
Day length
11h 23m
Sunrise azimuth
101°
Sunset azimuth
259°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. 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 Lake Washington 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 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)7:28 AM90° E7:35 PM271° W62°12h 07m
June solstice (Jun 21)6:28 AM63° ENE8:23 PM297° WNW85°13h 56m
September equinox (Sep 22)7:12 AM89° E7:21 PM271° W62°12h 09m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:11 AM116° ESE5:32 PM244° WSW38°10h 21m

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

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

Month (15th)Blue hour startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:51 AM7:17 AM7:51 AM5:15 PM5:49 PM6:15 PM10h 33m
February6:38 AM7:02 AM7:34 AM5:42 PM6:14 PM6:38 PM11h 13m
March7:10 AM7:33 AM8:05 AM7:01 PM7:32 PM7:55 PM11h 59m
April6:34 AM6:59 AM7:30 AM7:17 PM7:49 PM8:13 PM12h 50m
May6:08 AM6:34 AM7:07 AM7:33 PM8:06 PM8:32 PM13h 33m
June6:00 AM6:27 AM7:01 AM7:48 PM8:22 PM8:49 PM13h 55m
July6:10 AM6:37 AM7:10 AM7:49 PM8:22 PM8:49 PM13h 46m
August6:29 AM6:54 AM7:26 AM7:31 PM8:03 PM8:28 PM13h 09m
September6:45 AM7:09 AM7:40 AM6:58 PM7:29 PM7:53 PM12h 20m
October7:00 AM7:24 AM7:56 AM6:23 PM6:55 PM7:18 PM11h 31m
November6:21 AM6:46 AM7:19 AM4:58 PM5:31 PM5:56 PM10h 46m
December6:42 AM7:08 AM7:43 AM4:55 PM5:30 PM5:56 PM10h 22m

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 Lake Washington, 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.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—3°—
February4:33 AM – 5:33 AM1.020°SE → SE
March3:50 AM – 6:10 AM2.329°SE → SSE
April1:40 AM – 5:30 AM3.833°SE → S
May11:45 PM – 4:55 AM5.233°SE → SSW
June9:56 PM – 4:46 AM6.833°SE → SW
July9:54 PM – 3:24 AM5.533°SSE → SW
August9:27 PM – 1:17 AM3.833°S → SW
September8:48 PM – 11:18 PM2.530°SSW → SW
October8:13 PM – 9:23 PM1.221°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—5°—
DecemberBelow 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 ≈ 20.31 mag/arcsec².

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (58%). 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F828487899293949391898582
Low °F383945536171747471524936
Precip. (in)2.42.62.62.54.28.37.17.87.34.32.32.6

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 lake

  • Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
  • After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.

Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Lake Washington, closest first.

Beach
Eau Gallie Beach16 km away · Brevard County

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Lake Washington?
April 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. Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
What time is golden hour at Lake Washington?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 6:23 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:55 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:56 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Washington?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 63° in June to 116° in December; sunset ranges from 297° to 244°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Washington?
Yes — the core is visible from February to October on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 5 (suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Washington?
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 Lake Washington from June Park?
About 10.4 km (6.5 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

Sources

Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.