Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site: Photography Guide

Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site is a National Historic Site in New York. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.

Since 1665, Saint Paul's Church played a vital role in the colonial life of Eastchester, 20 miles north of New York City. Townspeople voted at the nearby Village Green; local militia drilled outside its doors. But the American Revolution changed everything. American, British and Hessian troops tore down the old wooden meetinghouse for firewood and used the unfinished stone chapel as a hospital.Description: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov

Photo spots

matched locations

Sky darkness

Bortle 9

Inner-city sky

Clearest month

September

48% cloud

Milky Way peak

June

Mar–Sep

Nearest town

Eastchester

800 m

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

At Saint Paul's Church the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.

June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice

Month (15th)	Sunrise	Golden hour ends	Golden hour starts	Sunset	Sunset az.	Daylight
January	7:18 AM	8:01 AM	4:10 PM	4:52 PM	242°	9h 34m
February	6:51 AM	7:29 AM	4:52 PM	5:30 PM	254°	10h 39m
March	7:08 AM	7:44 AM	6:26 PM	7:02 PM	268°	11h 54m
April	6:17 AM	6:54 AM	6:58 PM	7:35 PM	284°	13h 18m
May	5:39 AM	6:18 AM	7:27 PM	8:06 PM	296°	14h 28m
June	5:24 AM	6:05 AM	7:48 PM	8:29 PM	303°	15h 06m
July	5:37 AM	6:17 AM	7:46 PM	8:27 PM	300°	14h 50m
August	6:06 AM	6:44 AM	7:18 PM	7:55 PM	290°	13h 49m
September	6:37 AM	7:13 AM	6:30 PM	7:06 PM	275°	12h 30m
October	7:07 AM	7:44 AM	5:39 PM	6:16 PM	259°	11h 09m
November	6:43 AM	7:24 AM	3:58 PM	4:38 PM	246°	9h 55m
December	7:14 AM	7:57 AM	3:45 PM	4:29 PM	239°	9h 15m

Computed for the park's reference point (40.8928, -73.8258); large parks span several minutes of difference.

Milky Way & dark skies

From Saint Paul's Church, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

Month	Core visible (15th)	Hours	Max altitude
January	Not visible in darkness	—	—
February	5:12 AM – 5:12 AM	0.0	10°
March	4:24 AM – 5:34 AM	1.2	17°
April	2:23 AM – 4:33 AM	2.2	20°
May	12:20 AM – 3:40 AM	3.3	20°
June	10:37 PM – 3:07 AM	4.5	20°
July	10:28 PM – 1:48 AM	3.3	20°
August	9:39 PM – 11:49 PM	2.2	20°
September	8:40 PM – 9:50 PM	1.2	17°
October	7:47 PM – 7:47 PM	0.0	11°
November	Not visible in darkness	—	—
December	Not visible in darkness	—	—

9 Estimated Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible.

Weather & best time to visit

The weather in New York City is basically the same as for this northern suburb. Please visit http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=40.91259830500047&lon=-73.83707741599966#.Vqjtf_krKUk.

Weather overview: National Park Service.

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 (%)

69%

64%

60%

58%

60%

55%

50%

48%

56%

61%

70%

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Average high (°F)

60°

58°

63°

77°

80°

87°

94°

90°

86°

84°

69°

64°

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Photography permits, drones & fees

Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.

Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.

Getting there

Take the 5 Lexington Avenue (green) line to the Dyre Avenue station in the Bronx, the last stop. Proceed north to E. 233rd Street and make a right, going east. Walk several blocks. Make a left onto Provost, heading north. Provost becomes S. Third Ave. Continue north on S. Third Avenue to the stop sign on the right at the Salvation Army. Make a right at stop sign onto S. Columbus. Saint Paul's will be on your right. Walk from the subway to the site should be about 15 minutes, approximately 2/3 of a mile.

Directions: National Park Service.

Activities

Arts and Culture
Live Music
Food
Picnicking
Guided Tours
Self-Guided Tours - Walking
Hands-On
Arts and Crafts
Museum Exhibits

Nearby parks

Hamilton Grange National Memorial13 km away · National Memorial

General Grant National Memorial15 km away · National Memorial

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site22 km away · National Historic Site

Stonewall National Monument23 km away · National Monument

Lower East Side Tenement Museum National Historic Site24 km away · National Historic Site

African Burial Ground National Monument25 km away · National Monument

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site?

September 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. Spring and autumn usually bring softer light and fewer crowds; check the monthly table for sunrise and sunset times.

Do you need a photography permit in Saint Paul's Church?

Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.

Can you fly a drone in Saint Paul's Church?

Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.

Can you see the Milky Way in Saint Paul's Church?

Yes — from March to September, best in June. Estimated sky: Bortle 9.

What time is sunset in Saint Paul's Church?

On the 15th of October the sun sets at about 6:16 PM local time; see the live widget for today.

Saint Paul's Church National Historic Site Photography Guide

Light at Saint Paul's Church

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

Sunrise, sunset & golden hour

Milky Way & dark skies

Weather & best time to visit

Average cloud cover (%)

Average high (°F)

Photography permits, drones & fees

Getting there

Activities

Nearby parks

FAQ