Lighthouse Beach — a beach in Suffolk County, New York — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is West Bay Shore, about 10.3 km (6.4 mi) away (Lighthouse Beach lies SSE of town).
Lighthouse Beach is a small section of the Fire Island National Seashore that is adjacent to Robert Moses State Park on New York's Long Island. It was notable for having sections that were officially designated as clothing optional prior to 2013. The beach is named for the nearby Fire Island Lighthouse and was formerly the largest recognized clothing optional beach in New York. On 5 February 2013, the Fire Island National Seashore announced its plan to begin enforcing New York State anti-nudity laws on all Fire Island beaches, including Lighthouse Beach, ending clothing optional usage. However, the decision does not change the official status granted for the practice of female toplessness, which is still allowed. The beach is approximately one mile (1.6 km) long and can be defined as the ocean facing beach between Robert Moses State Park and the community of Kismet. Technically, it...From the Wikipedia article “Lighthouse Beach”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lighthouse Beach 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 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 58° ENE | 8:28 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 121° ESE | 4:30 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:52 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:49 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:37 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:44 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Lighthouse Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 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 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:31 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:21 AM – 4:31 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:16 AM – 3:36 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 1:44 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:46 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 9:47 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:45 PM – 7:45 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: 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 ≈ 19.04 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 60 | 58 | 63 | 77 | 80 | 87 | 94 | 90 | 86 | 84 | 69 | 64 |
| Low °F | 8 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 59 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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 Fire Island Light, 599 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lighthouse Beach, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Beach
State Park
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- The Cottage At Sailors Haven10.3 km (6.4 mi) · reservable
- Watch Hill Bayview House20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- The Bayberry Dunes House20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Watch Hill Campground21 km (13 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lighthouse Beach?
What time is golden hour at Lighthouse Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lighthouse Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lighthouse Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lighthouse Beach?
How far is Lighthouse Beach from West Bay Shore?
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.