Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Manatee County, Florida. It sits roughly 2.9 km (1.8 mi) NNW of Anna Maria.
The Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) System, located offshore from St. Petersburg. The 64-acre (0.26 km2) refuge was established in 1905 by President Theodore Roosevelt to preserve nesting colonies of native seabirds and wading birds. The Passage Key Wilderness Area is part of the refuge, and consists of 36.37 acres (0.1472 km2) (or 56.9%) of its total area. It was established in 1970, to protect native birds and serve as a breeding ground for them.From the Wikipedia article “Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 63° ENE | 8:30 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:20 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 116° ESE | 5:42 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 24m |
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
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:58 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:24 PM | 10h 35m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 7:25 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:20 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 43m |
| August | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 48m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 25m |
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 Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° 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 | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:48 AM – 6:18 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:47 AM – 5:37 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:51 PM – 5:11 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:01 PM – 5:01 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.5 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 1:34 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 11:26 PM | 2.5 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.3 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). August 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 | 89 | 92 | 95 | 96 | 94 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 86 | 83 |
| Low °F | 30 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 73 | 73 | 65 | 47 | 42 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.3 | 3.4 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 9.1 | 7.3 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 2.4 |
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 national wildlife refuge
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkLighthouse
Beach
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Passage Key National Wildlife Refuge from Anna Maria?
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.