Cedar Key Light — a lighthouse in Levy County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Cedar Keys National Wildlife Refuge. The nearest town is Inglis, about 39 km (24 mi) away (Cedar Key Light lies W of town). It dates from 1854.
The Cedar Key Light is located on Seahorse Key across the harbor from Cedar Key, Florida. Seahorse Key was the site a watchtower erected in 1801 by followers of William Augustus Bowles, self-designated Director General of the State of Muskogee, an attempt to set up an independent state in the western part of East Florida. The watchtower was destroyed by a Spanish naval force in 1802. Seahorse Key was used as a detention center for Seminoles captured in the Second Seminole War (1835–1842) before transfer to the West. At that time the Federal government reserved several of the islands in the Cedar Keys archipelago for military use.From the Wikipedia article “Cedar Key Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cedar Key Light 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 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:37 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 63° ENE | 8:35 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 117° ESE | 5:40 PM | 244° WSW | 37° | 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
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 | 7:02 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:19 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 00m |
| July | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 50m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:03 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 42m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 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 Cedar Key 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 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:20 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:56 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:08 PM – 4:58 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 3:26 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 1:28 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:58 PM – 11:28 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 9:22 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 72 | 73 | 76 | 80 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 87 | 81 | 75 |
| Low °F | 32 | 39 | 44 | 52 | 60 | 71 | 77 | 76 | 66 | 54 | 43 | 40 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.2 | 9.1 | 9.1 | 10.9 | 6.2 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 4.2 |
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
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- 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: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Cedar Key, 5.4 km (3.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cedar Key Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cedar Key Light?
What time is golden hour at Cedar Key Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cedar Key Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cedar Key Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cedar Key Light?
How far is Cedar Key Light from Inglis?
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.