Located in Taney County, Missouri, Moonshine Beach is a beach at about 275 m (902 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Hollister, about 8.8 km (5.5 mi) away (Moonshine Beach lies W of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Moonshine Beach the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:18 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 60° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 77° | 14h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:23 AM | 119° ESE | 5:02 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 39m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 56m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:21 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 39m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 26m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 14m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 40m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Moonshine Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:01 AM – 5:31 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 5:57 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:08 AM – 4:58 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:24 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:19 PM – 2:39 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 12:30 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:34 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.3 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 83 | 92 | 94 | 107 | 107 | 112 | 101 | 90 | 81 | 73 |
| Low °F | -5 | -5 | 5 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 53 | 50 | 40 | 24 | 11 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Moonshine Beach, closest first.
State ParkLake
Cave
Ghost Town
State ParkCaveGhost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Moonshine Beach Rec. Area202 m · reservable
- Indian Point4.2 km (2.6 mi) · reservable
- Old Highway 865.3 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Mill Creek (Missouri)11.6 km (7.2 mi) · reservable
- Cricket Creek13.8 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Moonshine Beach?
What time is golden hour at Moonshine Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Moonshine Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Moonshine Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Moonshine Beach?
How far is Moonshine Beach from Hollister?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.