Located in Calvert County, Maryland, Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum is a state park. The nearest town is Long Beach, about 7.6 km (4.7 mi) away (Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum lies SSW of town).
Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum (JPPM) is a 560-acre state park and museum located along the Patuxent River in St. Leonard, Calvert County, Maryland. The property of JPPM was given to the state of Maryland by Mary Marvin Patterson in 1983 in honor of her husband Jefferson Patterson, a U.S. diplomat. Many of its buildings were designed by Gertrude Sawyer starting in the 1930s, and some landscaping was done by Rose Greely and Cary Millholland Parker. The property has more than 70 identified archaeological sites, with current excavation and research being done. The land features 9,000 years of documented human occupation. The park has hiking and biking trails, a canoe and kayak launch, a visitor center with exhibits and a gift shop, an exhibit barn, a pavilion for event rental, a recreated Woodland Indian village, and a historic house. JPPM has several annual events as well as...From the Wikipedia article “Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 59° ENE | 8:34 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:49 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | 5:03 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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 ≈ 20.46 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 71 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 92 | 96 | 101 | 100 | 94 | 93 | 75 | 72 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | 14 | 29 | 38 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 49 | 36 | 24 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
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
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Beach
LighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseBeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pax River Paradise Grove Campgrounds14.1 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
- Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds14.2 km (8.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?
What time is golden hour at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?
How far is Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum from Long 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.