Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve (Minor)

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve (Minor) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.

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

Dunes need low sun: ripples and ridgelines only appear when side-light casts shadows, so shoot within an hour of sunrise or sunset.

Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve (Minor), 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 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

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.

Weather & best season

Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (73%). 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 (%)

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 sand dunes

• A telephoto isolates S-curves and layered ridges.
• Wind erases tracks overnight — mornings have the cleanest sand.
• Protect gear from blowing sand; avoid changing lenses in the wind.
• Sand surfaces get extremely hot in summer afternoons.
• Walk along ridges rather than across faces to avoid leaving footprints in your future compositions.
• Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.

Season: Spring and autumn for comfortable temperatures; full moon nights give soft light on the sand.

Suggested gear: Telephoto lens, Lens blower, Sun protection, Water. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.

Nearby photo spots

Other locations within 25 km of Seidner Dune and Swale Nature Preserve (Minor), closest first.

Sand Dunes

Tolleston Ridge Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex1.2 km away · Lake County

Sand Dunes

Cline Avenue Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)1.6 km away · Lake County

Sand Dunes

Gibson Woods Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)1.6 km away · Lake County

Sand Dunes

Clark and Pine Nature Preserve Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)5.3 km away · Lake County

Lighthouse

Indiana Harbor East Breakwater Light7.7 km away · Lake County

Lake

Wolf Lake8.6 km away · Cook County · 178 m

Lake

Lake Calumet14 km away · Cook County · 175 m

Sand Dunes

Miller Woods - Indiana Dunes National Park Dune and Swale Complex (Minor)14 km away · Lake County

Botanical Garden

Indiana Botanic Gardens14 km away · Lake County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

• West Beach Picnic Shelters20 km (13 mi) · reservable

FAQ

Sources

Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.