Located in Charleston County, South Carolina, Morris Island Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Folly Beach, about 6.9 km (4.3 mi) away (Morris Island Light lies NE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 49 m (161 ft). It dates from 1767. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Morris Island Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Morris Island in South Carolina. The light stands on the southern side of the entrance to Charleston Harbor, north of the City of Folly Beach. At 161 ft (49 m), it is the tallest lighthouse in South Carolina. The lighthouse was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Although the lighthouse now stands several hundred feet offshore, it was originally inside a much larger island. When constructed in 1876, the light was approximately 1,200 feet (370 m) from the water's edge. However, the construction in 1889 of the jetties which protect the shipping lanes leading to Charleston Harbor altered ocean currents, resulting in the rapid erosion of Morris Island and the destruction of many structures and historical sites (such as Fort Wagner). By 1938 the shoreline had reached the lighthouse, forcing its automation as it was no...From the Wikipedia article “Morris Island Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Morris Island 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 243° (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 | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 61° ENE | 8:31 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 18m |
| 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 | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 00m |
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 | 6:38 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 | 7:52 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 | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 17m |
| 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 | 7:32 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 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 | 6:50 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 01m |
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 Morris Island 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 5 (suburban 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.79 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
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Folly River, north, Folly Island, 4.2 km (2.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Morris Island Light, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Morris Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Morris Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Morris Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Morris Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Morris Island Light?
How far is Morris Island Light from Folly Beach?
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.