Fort Mose Historic State Park — a state park in Saint Johns County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Villano Beach, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away (Fort Mose Historic State Park lies WSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Fort Mose (originally known as Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose [Royal Grace of Saint Teresa of Mose], and later as Fort Mose, or alternatively Fort Moosa or Fort Mossa) is a former Spanish fort in St. Augustine, Florida. In 1738, the governor of Spanish Florida, Manuel de Montiano, had the fort established as a free black settlement, the first to be legally sanctioned in what would become the territory of the United States. The original fort was briefly abandoned after the Battle of Bloody Mose in 1740, but was rebuilt at a nearby location and again occupied by free Africans from 1752 to 1763. It was designated a US National Historic Landmark on October 12, 1994.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Mose”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Mose Historic State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (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) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 62° ENE | 8:30 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 117° ESE | 5:31 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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
State parks often protect a signature feature — a gorge, lake or overlook — that is best in early morning before visitors and harsh light arrive.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 26m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 09m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 53m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 39m |
| June | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 53m |
| August | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 14m |
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 Fort Mose Historic State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° 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 | 4:45 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 5:26 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 4:53 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:05 PM – 4:45 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 3:22 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:14 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:12 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:15 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.75 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 state park
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Ask rangers about photography permits for commercial work, models or drones.
- Weekday mornings are the least crowded at popular viewpoints.
- Trail maps often mark overlooks — combine them with the sun azimuth to plan.
- Day-use fees or passes are common; buy them online before arriving.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
Season: Spring wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
Suggested gear: Versatile zoom lens, Tripod, Park pass. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Fort Mose Historic State Park, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Beach
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Mose Historic State Park?
What time is golden hour at Fort Mose Historic State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Mose Historic State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Mose Historic State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Mose Historic State Park?
How far is Fort Mose Historic State Park from Villano Beach?
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.