Fort Ripley Shoal Light is a lighthouse in Charleston County, South Carolina. It sits roughly 3.1 km (1.9 mi) ESE of Charleston.
The Fort Ripley Shoal Light or Middle Ground Light was a lighthouse in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor approaches.From the Wikipedia article “Fort Ripley Shoal Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fort Ripley Shoal Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 61° ENE | 8:31 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 00m |
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 Fort Ripley Shoal Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:00 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:37 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:22 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:58 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:56 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:01 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 18.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 79 | 83 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 83 | 79 | 75 |
| Low °F | 32 | 37 | 41 | 49 | 58 | 68 | 76 | 74 | 65 | 53 | 46 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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 Fort Johnson, 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Fort Ripley Shoal Light, closest first.
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Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fort Ripley Shoal Light?
What time is golden hour at Fort Ripley Shoal Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fort Ripley Shoal Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fort Ripley Shoal Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fort Ripley Shoal Light?
How far is Fort Ripley Shoal Light from Charleston?
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.