Thimble Shoal Light is a lighthouse in City of Hampton, Virginia. It lies in or next to Fort Monroe National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 8.5 km (5.3 mi) ESE of East Hampton. It dates from 1872. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Thimble Shoal Light is a sparkplug lighthouse in the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay, north of the Hampton Roads channel. The third light at this location, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.From the Wikipedia article “Thimble Shoal Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Thimble Shoal Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 60° ENE | 8:29 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 119° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 37m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 08m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 41m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:55 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:40 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 38m |
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 Thimble Shoal Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright 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 | 5:03 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 4:52 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:09 AM – 4:09 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:19 PM – 3:49 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:13 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:24 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:42 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.12 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 50% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 66 | 68 | 75 | 85 | 92 | 95 | 99 | 97 | 92 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 13 | 10 | 17 | 33 | 42 | 54 | 65 | 64 | 54 | 41 | 28 | 18 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.4 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 3.4 | 3.7 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Old Point Comfort, 6.8 km (4.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Thimble Shoal Light, closest first.
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Thimble Shoal Light?
What time is golden hour at Thimble Shoal Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Thimble Shoal Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Thimble Shoal Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Thimble Shoal Light?
How far is Thimble Shoal Light from East Hampton?
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.