Sandy Hook Light is a lighthouse in Monmouth County, New Jersey. It lies in or next to Gateway National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Highlands, about 6.5 km (4.0 mi) away (Sandy Hook Light lies N of town). Its recorded tower height is about 26 m (85 ft). It dates from 1764. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sandy Hook Lighthouse, located about one and a half statute miles (2.4 km) inland from the tip of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, is the oldest working lighthouse in the United States. It was designed and built on June 11, 1764 by Isaac Conro. At that time, it stood only 500 feet (150 metres) from the tip of Sandy Hook; however, today, due to growth caused by littoral drift, it is almost one and a half miles (2.4 km) inland from the tip. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966, for its significance in commerce and transportation.From the Wikipedia article “Sandy Hook Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sandy Hook Light 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) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:33 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 18m |
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 Sandy Hook Light, 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 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | 5:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 3:38 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:48 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:48 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.26 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Sandy Hook, Fort Hancock, 858 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Sandy Hook Light, closest first.
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Scenic Viewpoint
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LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook1.4 km (0.9 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island16.0 km (10.0 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny17.8 km (11.1 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sandy Hook Light?
What time is golden hour at Sandy Hook Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sandy Hook Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sandy Hook Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sandy Hook Light?
How far is Sandy Hook Light from Highlands?
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.