Attaquin Beach — a beach in Barnstable County, Massachusetts — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Mashpee, about 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away (Attaquin Beach lies N of town).
Attaquin Beach is a beach at Mashpee and Wakeby Ponds in Mashpee, Massachusetts.From the Wikipedia article “Attaquin Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Attaquin Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 57° ENE | 8:21 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 121° ESE | 4:15 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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 | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:32 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:08 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:53 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:21 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Attaquin Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 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 6 (bright 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:13 AM – 4:13 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 2:50 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 11:30 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 9:28 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.18 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 January as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 56 | 54 | 62 | 72 | 76 | 87 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 76 | 67 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 1 | 13 | 29 | 39 | 49 | 58 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 22 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 |
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 beach
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Cotuit Highlands, 7.5 km (4.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Attaquin Beach, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State Park
Beach
State Park
State Park
Beach
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Attaquin Beach?
What time is golden hour at Attaquin Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Attaquin Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Attaquin Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Attaquin Beach?
How far is Attaquin Beach from Mashpee?
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.