Beach Guide

Duck Key Sunset

Hawk's Cay Marina · painted for this minute from Duck Key’s own horizon and tonight’s cloud forecast

Thu Oct 29 · — EDTLIVE

The sun is touching the horizon · clear at 0%

The sun goes down at

6:45 PM

T-00:05:00

Duck Key faces east, so the sun goes down behind you, over land, 2 min before the official sunset time of 6:47 PM. Face the water for the pink afterglow in the half hour after. Hawk'S Cay is in the view. Best light from 6:25 PM to 7:15 PM.

Sunset Score · Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast. Nothing low on the horizon, so you should see the sun all the way down.

4 PM · 6:40 PM · 9:30 PM

Prefer the real thing? Watch the live Middle Keys Cam cam →

Tonight’s Lineup

artisans & buskers
🐬

Resort Dolphins

all day

🌅

Bay Sunset

at dusk

🤿

Reef Divers

mornings

⛵

Marina Boats

afternoons

🌟

Dark Sky Nights

after dark

Know Before You Go

Bay sunset

west-facing

Florida Bay faces west - the Keys pastel sunset from the marina dock

Dolphin

resort program

Hawk's Cay's dolphin interaction program is one of the best in the Keys

Reef diving

charter boats

resort dive charters reach excellent middle Keys reef sites

Resort

full amenities

the only full-service Keys resort between Islamorada and Marathon

see you at sunset

Tonight’s times, the week ahead and the year by month are below. Keys Marina Sunset runs nightly, weather permitting, from about two hours before sunset.

What time is sunset at Duck Key tonight?

Tonight, Thursday, October 29, the sun sets at 6:47 PM at Duck Key. Duck Key faces east, so the sun goes down behind the beach, over land. Turn and face the water for the pink and purple afterglow in the half hour after. Golden hour starts at 6:15 PM, and the sky stays light until about 7:09 PM. Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10. Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Sunrise today was at 7:30 AM, which gives Duck Key 11 hr 17 min of daylight. It is fully dark by about 7:36 PM.

Duck Key sunset times this week

The next seven evenings at Duck Key: when the sun goes down, when golden hour starts and when the last light fades, plus the Sunset Score from each night's cloud forecast.

DaySunsetGolden hourLast lightCloudScore
Tonight6:47 PMfrom 6:15 PM7:09 PM0%5/10
Fri Oct 306:46 PMfrom 6:14 PM7:09 PM59%9/10
Sat Oct 316:46 PMfrom 6:13 PM7:08 PM38%9/10
Sun Nov 15:45 PMfrom 5:12 PM6:07 PM100%3/10
Mon Nov 25:44 PMfrom 5:12 PM6:07 PM100%3/10
Tue Nov 35:44 PMfrom 5:11 PM6:06 PM7%5/10
Wed Nov 45:43 PMfrom 5:10 PM6:06 PM7%5/10

Where to watch the sunset at Duck Key

Duck Key faces east, away from the sunset. The sun goes down behind you, over land, so the view to catch is the afterglow: the band of pink above the dark blue shadow of the earth rising over the water, best from sunset to about 30 minutes after.

Tonight’s timeline for Keys Marina Sunset is at the top of this page.

Can’t make it to the beach? Watch the live Middle Keys Cam cam at sunset.

Where the sun sets through the year

The spot where the sun sets moves along the horizon through the year. Around June 21 it goes down furthest north, in the west-north-west (296°); around December 21 it goes down furthest south, in the west-south-west (244°). In June it sets behind the beach. In December it sets behind the beach.

Golden hour and blue hour at Duck Key

Golden hour tonight runs from 6:15 PM to sunset at 6:47 PM. The sun is low, the light is warm and soft, and shadows are long. It is the best time for photos of people on the beach.

Blue hour follows, from about 7:00 PM to 7:18 PM, when the sun is below the horizon and the sky turns deep blue. The first lights come on along the shore and the water holds the last of the color.

Duck Key sunset times by month

Sunrise, sunset and daylight on the 15th of each month. Over the next year the earliest sunset is 5:36 PM (Sun Nov 29) and the latest is 8:18 PM (Sat Jul 3). Times are local and include daylight saving time where it applies.

MonthSunriseSunsetDaylight
October 20267:23 AM6:58 PM11 hr 36 min
November 20266:41 AM5:38 PM10 hr 57 min
December 20267:02 AM5:38 PM10 hr 37 min
January 20277:11 AM5:57 PM10 hr 46 min
February 20276:59 AM6:19 PM11 hr 20 min
March 20277:34 AM7:34 PM11 hr 59 min
April 20277:03 AM7:47 PM12 hr 44 min
May 20276:41 AM8:02 PM13 hr 20 min
June 20276:35 AM8:15 PM13 hr 40 min
July 20276:45 AM8:17 PM13 hr 32 min
August 20276:59 AM8:00 PM13 hr 1 min
September 20277:11 AM7:30 PM12 hr 19 min

Tips for a great sunset at Duck Key

  • Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early. The best spots fill up, and the light is often at its best in the last half hour before the sun goes down.
  • Stay 20 minutes after. The clouds often light up brightest after the sun is gone, and most people have already left.
  • Check the Sunset Score. Scattered clouds make the most color. A clear sky gives a clean sunset that fades fast, and a heavy overcast can hide it.
  • Plan your parking. Sunset is a busy time at popular beaches. See Duck Key parking for lots and rates.
  • Look at the water too. Today’s wind, waves and water temperature are on the Duck Key conditions page.
  • Make a night of it. Find places to eat and sunset cruises and things to do at Duck Key.

How we work out the sunset time

The official sunset time is when the top of the sun sinks below a flat sea horizon. We also check Duck Key’s real horizon: the hills, headlands and islands you can see from the sand. When land is in the way, the sun disappears before the official time, and we show you that earlier time. The Sunset Score rates how colorful the sky should be from the cloud forecast at sunset. Buildings are not included, so a tall hotel beside you can still hide the last minute.

Duck Key sunset FAQ

What time is sunset at Duck Key today?

The sun sets at 6:47 PM at Duck Key today (Thursday, October 29).

What time is sunrise at Duck Key today?

The sun rose at 7:30 AM at Duck Key today.

How many hours of daylight does Duck Key get today?

11 hr 17 min of daylight, from 7:30 AM to 6:47 PM.

When is golden hour at Duck Key tonight?

Golden hour at Duck Key runs from 6:15 PM to sunset at 6:47 PM, when the sun is low and the light turns warm and soft. Blue hour follows, from 7:00 PM to 7:18 PM.

When does it get dark at Duck Key tonight?

The sky stays light enough to see without a flashlight until about 7:09 PM, the end of civil twilight. It is fully dark by about 7:36 PM.

Will the sunset be good at Duck Key tonight?

Tonight's Sunset Score is 5 out of 10, from the cloud forecast at sunset. Clear sky (0% cloud): a clean sunset, but the color fades fast.

Which direction does the sun set at Duck Key?

Duck Key faces east, so the sun sets behind the beach, over land. Tonight it goes down in the west-south-west.

Can you see the sun set over the water at Duck Key?

No. Duck Key faces east, so the sun sets behind you, over land. The show over the water is the afterglow in the half hour after sunset.

What are the earliest and latest sunset times at Duck Key?

Over the next year the earliest sunset at Duck Key is 5:36 PM on Sunday, November 29, and the latest is 8:18 PM on Saturday, July 3.

Where is the best place to watch the sunset at Duck Key?

Hawk's Cay Marina is the favorite spot at Duck Key. Get there 30 to 45 minutes before sunset for a good place, and stay 20 minutes after for the afterglow.

Is there a live sunset cam at Duck Key?

Yes. The Middle Keys Cam live cam shows Duck Key in real time, linked from this page.

Sunset tonight at beaches near Duck Key

Long Key sunset6 mi6:47 PM
Marathon sunset10 mi6:48 PM
Sombrero Beach sunset13 mi6:48 PM
Islamorada sunset21 mi6:46 PM
Bahia Honda sunset25 mi6:49 PM
Big Pine Key sunset29 mi6:49 PM

See every beach on one map: sunset times tonight across the US →