Smih Shoal Light is a lighthouse in Monroe County, Florida. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) NW of Key West. Its recorded tower height is about 16 m (54 ft). It dates from 1933.
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse in the United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Smih Shoal Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 89° in summer but only 42° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:40 AM | 64° ENE | 8:20 PM | 297° WNW | 89° | 13h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 66° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 116° ESE | 5:45 PM | 245° WSW | 42° | 10h 36m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 46m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 20m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 00m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 44m |
| May | 6:20 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 20m |
| June | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 40m |
| July | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 32m |
| August | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 00m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 18m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 36m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 57m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 37m |
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 Smih Shoal Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 36° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:30 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.2 | 23° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.7 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 4.0 | 36° | SE → S |
| May | 11:40 PM – 5:20 AM | 5.7 | 36° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:48 PM – 5:08 AM | 7.3 | 36° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:47 PM – 3:37 AM | 5.8 | 36° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 1:34 AM | 4.2 | 36° | S → SW |
| September | 8:50 PM – 11:40 PM | 2.8 | 33° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.3 | 24° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and September as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 88 | 86 | 84 | 81 |
| Low °F | 50 | 53 | 59 | 64 | 72 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 76 | 66 | 64 | 54 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Smith Shoal Light, 522 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Smih Shoal Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Smih Shoal Light?
What time is golden hour at Smih Shoal Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Smih Shoal Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Smih Shoal Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Smih Shoal Light?
How far is Smih Shoal Light from Key West?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.