Sanibel Island Light is a lighthouse in Lee County, Florida. The nearest town is Sanibel, about 900 m away (Sanibel Island Light lies ENE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 30 m (98 ft). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sanibel Island Light or Point Ybel Light was one of the first lighthouses on Florida's Gulf coast north of Key West and the Dry Tortugas. The light, 98-foot above sea level, on an iron skeleton tower was first lit on August 20, 1884 and has a central spiral staircase beginning about 10 feet above the ground. It is located on the eastern tip of Sanibel Island, and was built to mark the entrance to San Carlos Bay for ships calling at the port of Punta Rassa, across San Carlos Bay from Sanibel Island. The grounds are open to the public, but the lighthouse itself is not.From the Wikipedia article “Sanibel Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sanibel Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:37 AM | 63° ENE | 8:25 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 29m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 40m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 26m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 47m |
| July | 6:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 39m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 05m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 51m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 29m |
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 Sanibel Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | 4:29 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.2 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 5:42 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 5:15 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:54 PM – 5:04 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:53 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.7 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 4.0 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:31 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:28 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 76 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 89 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 42 | 46 | 50 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 74 | 60 | 54 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Point Ybel, San Carlos Bay entrance, 404 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sanibel Island Light, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
State Park
Beach
State Park
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sanibel Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Sanibel Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sanibel Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sanibel Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sanibel Island Light?
How far is Sanibel Island Light from Sanibel?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.