Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve — a state park in Richmond County, New York — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Charleston, about 600 m away (Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve lies SE of town).
Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve is 265-acre (1.07 km2) state park located near the southwestern shore of Staten Island, New York. It is the only state park located on Staten Island.From the Wikipedia article “Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve 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.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 121° ESE | 4:34 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:03 PM | 9h 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 Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 7:49 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island16.7 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve?
How far is Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve from Charleston?
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.