A deserted beach at Robert Moses State Park Field 4
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40.6200° N73.2600° WBortle 6New York

Robert Moses State Park Photography Guide

State Park in Suffolk County, New York

  • Bortle 6 sky
  • Sunset azimuth 239°–303°
  • Clearest: September
  • Milky Way Mar–Sep
Photo: Anthony22 (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source

Located in Suffolk County, New York, Robert Moses State Park is a state park. It sits roughly 10.0 km (6.2 mi) S of West Bay Shore.

Robert Moses State Park is a 875-acre (3.54 km2) state park in southern Suffolk County, New York. The park lies on the western end of Fire Island, one of the central barrier islands off the southern coast of Long Island, and is known for its five-mile (8.0 km) stretch of beaches on the Atlantic Ocean. The park is accessible from Long Island by the Robert Moses Causeway across Great South Bay. Established as Fire Island State Park in 1908, the park is the oldest state park on Long Island. It was renamed to honor Robert Moses, the influential mid-20th century urban planner and former president of the Long Island State Park Commission. Recently, some lawmakers have suggested the park should revert to its previous name or to something that better reflects its location.From the Wikipedia article “Robert Moses State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nearest town
West Bay Shore
10.0 km (6.2 mi)
Sky darkness
Bortle 6
Bright suburban sky
Clearest month
September
48% cloud
Milky Way peak
June
4.7 h window
Golden hour (Oct)
5:37 PM
sunset 6:14 PM

Light at Robert Moses State Park

Live
Sunrise
7:10 AM
Sunset
6:07 PM
Golden hour AM
6:53 AM – 7:48 AM
Golden hour PM
5:29 PM – 6:24 PM
Blue hour AM
6:42 AM – 6:53 AM
Blue hour PM
6:24 PM – 6:35 PM
Full darkness
7:38 PM – 5:40 AM
Moon
Waxing Gibbous · 70%
Moonrise / set
3:22 PM / 1:06 AM
Day length
10h 57m
Sunrise azimuth
103°
Sunset azimuth
257°
000306091215182124
NightTwilightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Times in America/New York. Golden hour = sun −4° to +6°; blue hour = −6° to −4°.

Clouds at sunrise & sunset

NWS

Hourly sky cover from the National Weather Service. 20–60% cloud often gives the most colorful sunrises and sunsets.

Sunrise & sunset directions

At Robert Moses State Park 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.

NESW60°30°
June solsticeEquinoxesDecember solstice
DateSunriseAzimuthSunsetAzimuthNoon sunDaylight
March equinox (Mar 20)6:57 AM90° E7:05 PM271° W49°12h 08m
June solstice (Jun 21)5:23 AM58° ENE8:28 PM303° WNW73°15h 05m
September equinox (Sep 22)6:41 AM89° E6:52 PM271° W50°12h 11m
December solstice (Dec 21)7:14 AM121° ESE4:30 PM239° WSW26°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 startsSunriseGolden hour endsGolden hour startsSunsetBlue hour endsDaylight
January6:45 AM7:15 AM7:57 AM4:09 PM4:51 PM5:21 PM9h 35m
February6:20 AM6:48 AM7:26 AM4:50 PM5:28 PM5:56 PM10h 40m
March6:38 AM7:06 AM7:42 AM6:24 PM7:00 PM7:27 PM11h 54m
April5:47 AM6:15 AM6:52 AM6:56 PM7:32 PM8:01 PM13h 17m
May5:06 AM5:37 AM6:16 AM7:24 PM8:03 PM8:34 PM14h 26m
June4:49 AM5:22 AM6:04 AM7:45 PM8:26 PM9:00 PM15h 04m
July5:03 AM5:35 AM6:16 AM7:43 PM8:24 PM8:56 PM14h 48m
August5:35 AM6:04 AM6:42 AM7:15 PM7:53 PM8:22 PM13h 48m
September6:07 AM6:34 AM7:11 AM6:28 PM7:04 PM7:31 PM12h 29m
October6:37 AM7:05 AM7:42 AM5:37 PM6:14 PM6:42 PM11h 10m
November6:11 AM6:40 AM7:21 AM3:56 PM4:37 PM5:06 PM9h 56m
December6:40 AM7:10 AM7:54 AM3:44 PM4:28 PM4:58 PM9h 17m

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 Robert Moses State Park, 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 6 (bright suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.

MonthCore visible (15th)HoursMax altitudeDirection
JanuaryBelow 10° in darkness—-2°—
February5:10 AM – 5:10 AM0.011°SE → SE
March4:21 AM – 5:31 AM1.217°SE → SSE
April2:20 AM – 4:30 AM2.220°SE → S
May12:15 AM – 3:35 AM3.321°SE → S
June10:31 PM – 3:11 AM4.721°SSE → SSW
July10:22 PM – 1:52 AM3.521°S → SW
August9:35 PM – 11:45 PM2.220°S → SW
September8:37 PM – 9:47 PM1.217°SSW → SW
October7:45 PM – 7:45 PM0.011°SW → SW
NovemberBelow 10° in darkness—-1°—
DecemberBelow 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.97 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 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 (%)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High °F605863778087949086846964
Low °F8613283749596051382413
Precip. (in)3.84.14.44.33.84.54.44.43.84.84.15.1

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

  • 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.
  • 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 Robert Moses State Park, closest first.

Captree State ParkState Park
Captree State Park2.3 km away · Suffolk County
Beach
Lighthouse Beach3.7 km away · Suffolk County
Fire Island LightLighthouse
Fire Island Light3.8 km away · Suffolk County
Beach
Cedar Beach6.9 km away · Suffolk County
Seatuck National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Seatuck National Wildlife Refuge11 km away · Suffolk County
Heckscher State ParkState Park
Heckscher State Park13 km away · Suffolk County
Belmont Lake State ParkState Park
Belmont Lake State Park14 km away · Suffolk County
Beach
Tobay Beach14 km away · Nassau County
Bayard Cutting Arboretum State ParkState Park
Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park16 km away · Suffolk County

Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)

FAQ

When is the best time to photograph Robert Moses State Park?
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 wildflowers and autumn color are peak seasons in most parks.
What time is golden hour at Robert Moses State Park?
In October the evening golden hour starts around 5:37 PM and ends after sunset at about 6:14 PM; the morning golden hour lasts until about 7:42 AM. Use the live widget above for exact times on any date.
Where does the sun rise and set at Robert Moses State Park?
Sunrise azimuth ranges from about 58° in June to 121° in December; sunset ranges from 303° to 239°. See the sun-path diagram for the full arc.
Can you see the Milky Way from Robert Moses State Park?
Yes — the core is visible from March to September on moonless nights. The estimated sky quality is Bortle 6 (bright suburban sky).
Do you need a permit to photograph at Robert Moses State Park?
Personal photography from public land rarely needs a permit. Commercial shoots, models, large groups and drones may require permission from the land manager — check before you go.
How far is Robert Moses State Park from West Bay Shore?
About 10.0 km (6.2 mi) in a straight line; driving distance is usually longer, especially in mountain terrain.

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.