Hope Everyone is doing well!! Hope you all will have a great Summer, which officially began Wednesday June 21, 2023 at 9:57AM when the sun arrives at its furthest position North of the equator!!! I try to look at things from the positive side, BUT, this day, always gets me a little depressed!! From that day on, each day gets a little shorter until December 21st, the first day of Winter with its short days!! OK, I vented and feel much better now, so let us take advantage of these nice long days and enjoy the Summer!! Great time to get out and visit some Open Space Lands!!

I always enjoy trying to find places with a large enough panorama where I can photograph all the Sun’s positions against the horizon, I find it amazing just how much difference in distance the sun travels from Winter to Summer!! My favorite place for this is Eagle Rock Reservation just off I280 in West Orange, NJ. This now includes Essex County’s 9/11 Memorial. This site is about ten miles west of NYC and from the overlook you can see south as far as Staten Island and north quite a ways north of the GW Bridge. During the Winter Solstice, the sun rises by the southern tip of Manhattan Island / NYC and during the Summer Solstice you have to look quite a ways north of the GW Bridge towers! See photos above.



The first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice, is the ‘official astronomical’ beginning of summer, as the Northern Hemisphere angles itself at the point where it is closest to the sun, causing the longest day and the shortest night of the year. Many cultures, both ancient and modern, celebrate this day’s sunlight with rituals and holidays! This event will take place, Wednesday June 21st 2023 at precisely 9:57AM!! The sun’s position that day is at its furthest point north located over the Tropic of Cancer which parallels the Equator. The Tropic of Cancer passes almost through Havana, Cuba for a reference point. Obviously, we are one of those cultures, that likes to get an early start on things, AND, do it right, by beginning our summer season, with not just a day’s celebration, we start things off in a big fashion, with an entire Memorial Day Holiday Weekend!!


June 21st is the day the sun shines directly over the Tropic of Cancer, reaching its furthest point North. This is known as the Summer Solstice OR the first day of Summer for the Northern Hemisphere! After reaching its furthest point north, then, each day the sun retreats south. September 22nd, the sun crosses directly over the equator, which is called the vernal equinox, in this case will be the first day of Autumn. The sun continues south till reaching the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern Hemisphere on December 21st, which is the first day of Winter, in the Northern Hemisphere, also known as the Winter Solstice. **Description of photo showing sunset from Hope Great Meadows Rd. Overlook, the mountain to your right is Mount Tammany in NJ, the mountain to the left is Mount Minsi, across the Delaware River in PA, both within the famous Delaware Water Gap. NOTE: You can get some nice sunsets in the Water Gap about two weeks before and two weeks after June 20th, HINT – a great fun Family visit!! NOTE: You can witness the sun setting in the Water Gap about a week before and after the Solstice!! **The next photo is from the I 80 MP19E Scenic Overlook and this shows the position of the sun setting well north of the Delaware Water Gap which is off the photo to your left.

Sunset Pointe is one of my favorite overlooks, giving the visitor beautiful views of the Warren County countryside from Hope to the Delaware Water Gap twelve miles away. I probably have over 60 photo albums of visits, most are trying to catch a beautiful sunset along the distant mountains, others are just recording interesting views and/or weather conditions!! Always something to see, all within a great landscape!! Our Photo of the Week depicts the setting sun in the Water Gap, keep in mind, every day, the sun begins its journey South and you can witness that from this overlook! In the Winter you have to look far to the left, away from the Water Gap, to see the sun set behind the mountains. NOTE: Why not create a Family Sunset Photo Album photo documenting the sun’s journey across the distant horizon!? This Overlook is located atop the same ridge that Jenny Jump Forest is located on. The distant mountains are part of the vast Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Worthington State Forest, both offering many great recreational, educational opportunities for your Family all amid the wondrous natural setting!! While visiting Sunset Pointe look down to your right and you will see two church steeples and the look for the blinker light in the center of historic Hope Village.


NOTE: Over the last 20 years I have visited various sites to photograph and chart the sun’s monthly movement South to North and then back South. There is one caveat, WEATHER!! Imagine getting up at 4:00AM driving from Blairstown to West Orange arrive, and find there is a cloud bank along the horizon blocking the sunrise!! OR just wake up and it is raining so you postpone the trip. While there may be some disappointments during this project the end result does make for some Fun, Enjoyable and Interesting photo presentations showcasing the sun’s travels up and down the horizon!!

This last photo was a bonus OR reward for my efforts!! 6:00AM in my back yard, I was getting ready to take a photo of the sunrise!!

Enjoy Your Open Space


Charlie Fineran


Director Open Space
Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman
Allamuchy Historical Society – President