Located in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Folcroft, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum lies SE of town).
The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum is a 1000-acre (4.05 km2) National Wildlife Refuge in Philadelphia and Tinicum Township, Pennsylvania. Adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport, the refuge protects the largest remaining freshwater tidal marsh in Pennsylvania. Established in 1972 as the Tinicum National Environmental Center, it was renamed in 1991 after the late H. John Heinz III, who helped preserve Tinicum Marsh.From the Wikipedia article “John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 58° ENE | 8:34 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 15h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:49 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 20m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 39m |
| February | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:14 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 59m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 44m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 22m |
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 John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 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 8 (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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:50 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:03 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.07 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 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 72 | 77 | 91 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | -3 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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 John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum?
What time is golden hour at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum?
Where does the sun rise and set at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum?
Can you see the Milky Way from John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum?
How far is John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum from Folcroft?
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.