Old House Beach is a beach in Carteret County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Harkers Island, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Old House Beach lies NE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old House Beach 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 60° ENE | 8:23 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 119° ESE | 4:58 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 48m |
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
Beaches facing east suit sunrise and west-facing beaches suit sunset; wet sand mirrors the sky color during golden hour.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 04m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 59m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 29m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 17m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 21m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 49m |
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 Old House Beach, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:43 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:01 AM – 4:21 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:08 PM – 3:58 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:33 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 12:38 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:29 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:36 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.85 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 73 | 71 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 86 | 87 | 86 | 83 | 79 | 74 |
| Low °F | 28 | 28 | 37 | 46 | 54 | 67 | 73 | 72 | 64 | 50 | 43 | 31 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 6.1 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 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 beach
- Watch for sneaker waves; never turn your back on the ocean on exposed coasts.
- Salt spray coats lenses quickly; wipe often and rinse gear afterward.
- Fog and marine layers can make minimalist images; don't give up on grey days.
- Time visits around low tide to reveal tide pools, sea stacks and reflective sand — check the tide widget below.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Winter storms bring dramatic surf on Pacific coasts; summer and autumn sunsets are popular on Atlantic and Gulf beaches.
Suggested gear: Tripod, ND filters, Rain cover, Lens cloths. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Sea Level, 12.8 km (7.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Old House Beach, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
Ghost TownCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Long Point Cabin Camp4.7 km (2.9 mi) · reservable
- North Core Banks - Beach Camping4.7 km (2.9 mi)
- South Core Banks -- Beach Camping26 km (16 mi)
- Great Island Cabin Camp26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old House Beach?
What time is golden hour at Old House Beach?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old House Beach?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old House Beach?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Old House Beach?
How far is Old House Beach from Harkers Island?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.