Lake Weir — a lake in Marion County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.7 km (6.0 mi) NNE of The Villages.
Lake Weir is a fresh-water lake located in southern Marion County, Florida. Due to its large size and proximity, it is sometimes included with the Harris chain of lakes to the southeast, but is not directly hydrologically connected to them. It is connected to the west via a vegetation-filled canal to Little Lake Weir. The lake was named for Nathaniel A. Ware, a state land official of the frontier period, but a misspelling of his name was recorded. It supports much wildlife including fish, birds, and alligators. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was part of the territory of the town and province of the Acuera, a Timucuan-speaking indigenous tribe.From the Wikipedia article “Lake Weir”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Weir 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 84° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 63° ENE | 8:30 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 17m |
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 starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 59m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 49m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:06 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 43m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 18m |
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 Weir, 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 32° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:52 PM – 5:02 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:54 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:24 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:18 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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 ≈ 20.38 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 81 | 84 | 92 | 93 | 99 | 99 | 99 | 97 | 96 | 91 | 87 | 82 |
| Low °F | 29 | 32 | 36 | 46 | 53 | 66 | 71 | 71 | 63 | 43 | 39 | 29 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 2.6 | 4.2 | 7.8 | 7.4 | 7.8 | 7.1 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
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
- A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Weir, closest first.
BeachBeach
State Park
State Park
State Park
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Doe Lake Group Site11.9 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Big Bass Campground (Fl)15.6 km (9.7 mi) · reservable
- Big Scrub Campground17.6 km (10.9 mi) · reservable
- Mill Dam Group Camp21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Lake Eaton Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Weir?
What time is golden hour at Lake Weir?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Weir?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Weir?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Weir?
How far is Lake Weir from The Villages?
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.