Greenwich Point is a beach in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut. It sits roughly 2.4 km (1.5 mi) SSW of Old Greenwich.
Greenwich Point is one of four beaches located in Greenwich, Connecticut. The beach sits on a peninsula jutting into Long Island Sound. It is a popular spot for Greenwich families to spend the day. Visitors to Greenwich Point typically jog, walk, or cycle around the Point, fish, boat, or swim in the Long Island Sound, study nature, or sunbathe.From the Wikipedia article “Greenwich Point”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Greenwich Point 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 72° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 90° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:53 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:30 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 13m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 33m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 28m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 06m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 50m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:33 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:28 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 15m |
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 Greenwich Point, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:32 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:06 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:48 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 9:49 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 7:46 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.32 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 (65%). 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 | 66 | 70 | 73 | 91 | 87 | 95 | 101 | 102 | 96 | 88 | 76 | 69 |
| Low °F | -16 | -15 | -8 | 18 | 30 | 38 | 49 | 50 | 37 | 21 | 6 | -2 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 3.6 | 4.2 |
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 beach
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Slow shutter speeds (0.5–2 s) turn receding waves into streaks that lead toward the horizon.
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Cos Cob Harbor, 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Greenwich Point, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Waterfall
State Park
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Greenwich Point?
What time is golden hour at Greenwich Point?
Where does the sun rise and set at Greenwich Point?
Can you see the Milky Way from Greenwich Point?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Greenwich Point?
How far is Greenwich Point from Old Greenwich?
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.