Located in City and County of San Francisco, California, Southampton Shoal Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Tiburon, about 5.1 km (3.2 mi) away (Southampton Shoal Light lies E of town). Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (33 ft). It dates from 1905.
Southampton Shoal is a former lighthouse site in California, United States. A platform sits at the southwest edge of Southampton Shoals, northeast of Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay. The platform is all that remains of the original structure and supports an automated bell which chimes every ten seconds and red light mounted on a pole, which flashes on for three seconds and is then dark for three seconds in each six second cycle (Iso R 6s).From the Wikipedia article “Southampton Shoal Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Southampton Shoal Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:55 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Southampton Shoal Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:28 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:31 PM – 3:51 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:24 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:43 PM – 12:23 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:01 PM – 8:21 PM | 0.3 | 13° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 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 lighthouse
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Angel Island, East Garrison, 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Southampton Shoal Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lake
Rock Formation
Rock FormationRock FormationRock Formation
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)8.4 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Cove Campground9.1 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground11.0 km (6.8 mi) · reservable
- Rob Hill Group Campground11.5 km (7.1 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground12.3 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Southampton Shoal Light?
What time is golden hour at Southampton Shoal Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Southampton Shoal Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Southampton Shoal Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Southampton Shoal Light?
How far is Southampton Shoal Light from Tiburon?
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.