Block Island Southeast Light is a lighthouse in Washington County, Rhode Island. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) SSE of New Shoreham. Its recorded tower height is about 16 m (52 ft). It dates from 1875. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Block Island Southeast Light is a lighthouse located on Mohegan Bluffs at the southeastern corner of Block Island, Rhode Island. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1997 as one of the most architecturally sophisticated lighthouses built in the United States in the 19th century.From the Wikipedia article “Block Island Southeast Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Block Island Southeast Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:51 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 57° ENE | 8:23 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 121° ESE | 4:21 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 4:58 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:14 AM | 5:55 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 07m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 51m |
| August | 5:27 AM | 5:56 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:16 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:29 PM | 4:58 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:49 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:50 PM | 9h 14m |
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 Block Island Southeast Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:03 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:15 AM – 5:25 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:25 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 3:32 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:00 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:20 PM – 1:40 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 11:31 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:38 PM – 7:38 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 58 | 54 | 67 | 82 | 82 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 89 | 81 | 72 | 65 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 9 | 24 | 36 | 44 | 54 | 55 | 47 | 31 | 17 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
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.
- 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 Block Island (Old Harbor), 2.2 km (1.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Block Island Southeast Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
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National Wildlife Refuge
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National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Block Island Southeast Light?
What time is golden hour at Block Island Southeast Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Block Island Southeast Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Block Island Southeast Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Block Island Southeast Light?
How far is Block Island Southeast Light from New Shoreham?
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.