Anclote Keys Light — a lighthouse in Pasco County, Florida — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Anclote Key Preserve State Park. The nearest town is Key Vista, about 8.2 km (5.1 mi) away (Anclote Keys Light lies WSW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 31 m (102 ft). It dates from 1887. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Anclote Keys Light is a lighthouse built in 1887 on Anclote Key, the largest of the Anclote Keys. It is a skeletal square pyramidal tower, painted brown, with a black lantern. After the lighthouse was automated in 1952 the tower and other buildings at the site were often vandalized, interfering with the operation of the light. The Coast Guard determined that the light was no longer needed and deactivated it in 1984. The site was eventually turned over to the State of Florida and added to Anclote Key Preserve State Park. As of 2003 the lighthouse has been restored and relighted using a reproduction fourth-order Fresnel lens. Anclote Key is accessible only by boat. It is listed as Anclote Key Light number 1555 in the USCG light lists.From the Wikipedia article “Anclote Keys Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Anclote Keys Light 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:32 PM | 297° WNW | 85° | 13h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 33m |
| February | 6:46 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 13m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:26 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:21 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 33m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 55m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 46m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:36 PM | 13h 09m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:09 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 46m |
| December | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 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 Anclote Keys Light, 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 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 5:38 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 5:03 AM | 5.2 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:04 PM – 4:54 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:32 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 11:26 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 ≈ 19.87 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 lighthouse
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Anclote Key, southern end, 461 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Anclote Keys Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
BeachBeach
State Park
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Anclote Keys Light?
What time is golden hour at Anclote Keys Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Anclote Keys Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Anclote Keys Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Anclote Keys Light?
How far is Anclote Keys Light from Key Vista?
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.