New Dorp Light is a lighthouse in Richmond County, New York. The nearest town is New Dorp, about 800 m away (New Dorp Light lies NNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 24 m (79 ft). It dates from 1856. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The New Dorp Lighthouse is a decommissioned lighthouse located in the New Dorp section of Staten Island, New York City. Funds for the lighthouse were approved by United States Congress on August 31, 1852 and the structure was completed in 1856. The lighthouse, built to serve as a rear range light to mark Swash Channel (a shipping channel in Lower New York Bay), was built by Richard Carlow, who also built the similar Chapel Hill and Point Comfort Range Lights in New Jersey around the same time. Ships sailing through Swash Channel were instructed to bring the New Dorp range light “in one” and steer towards the lights until the Chapel Hill Light came into view, which would then mark the channel past West Bank.From the Wikipedia article “New Dorp Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At New Dorp 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) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 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 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
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:02 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 New Dorp 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 9 (inner-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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.77 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Great Kills Harbor, 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of New Dorp Light, closest first.
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Lighthouse
Mountain Peak
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Beach
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Botanical Garden
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island5.9 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny20.0 km (12.4 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph New Dorp Light?
What time is golden hour at New Dorp Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at New Dorp Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from New Dorp Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at New Dorp Light?
How far is New Dorp Light from New Dorp?
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.