Located in Steuben County, New York, Stony Brook State Park is a state park. The nearest town is Dansville, about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away (Stony Brook State Park lies S of town).
Stony Brook State Park is a 568-acre (2.30 km2) state park located in Steuben County, New York. It is located south of Dansville, Livingston County, New York Dansville, Steuben County, New York on New York State Route 36.From the Wikipedia article “Stony Brook State Park”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Stony Brook State Park the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 57° ENE | 8:52 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 122° ESE | 4:41 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 5:18 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:25 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Stony Brook State Park, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:44 AM – 4:44 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:06 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:55 PM – 1:55 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:02 PM – 11:52 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:49 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.0 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 55% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 60 | 64 | 75 | 82 | 88 | 93 | 97 | 97 | 94 | 86 | 74 | 66 |
| Low °F | -10 | -13 | -7 | 12 | 24 | 35 | 45 | 45 | 35 | 23 | -1 | -4 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- Check park hours: many state parks close at dusk, which affects sunset and night shooting.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Stony Brook State Park, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Stony Brook State Park?
What time is golden hour at Stony Brook State Park?
Where does the sun rise and set at Stony Brook State Park?
Can you see the Milky Way from Stony Brook State Park?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Stony Brook State Park?
How far is Stony Brook State Park from Dansville?
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.