Portsmouth is a ghost town in Carteret County, North Carolina. It lies in or next to Cape Lookout National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Buxton, about 52 km (32 mi) away (Portsmouth lies WSW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Portsmouth was a fishing and shipping village located on Portsmouth Island on the Core Banks in North Carolina, United States. Portsmouth Island is a tidal island connected, under most conditions, to the northern end of the North Core Banks, across Ocracoke Inlet from the village of Ocracoke. The town lies in Carteret County, was established in 1753 by the North Carolina Colonial Assembly, and abandoned in 1971. Its remains are now part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore.From the Wikipedia article “Portsmouth, North Carolina”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Portsmouth 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 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 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
Weathered wood and rusted metal show texture best in low-angle light; overcast skies suit interiors and moody black-and-white work.
| 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 | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 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 Portsmouth, 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 | 4:42 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 4:20 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:07 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:37 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:35 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 ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 70 | 71 | 75 | 81 | 93 | 96 | 97 | 96 | 91 | 89 | 79 | 74 |
| Low °F | 14 | 16 | 25 | 36 | 46 | 59 | 66 | 63 | 56 | 41 | 30 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
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 ghost town
- Old buildings under the Milky Way make strong night images in dark rural skies.
- Look for details: door hinges, faded signs, square nails and window frames tell the story.
- Leave everything as you found it; removing artifacts from public land is illegal.
- Respect private property and closures: many ghost towns are on private land or protected historic sites — never enter unstable buildings.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: High-elevation mining towns are reachable mostly from June to October; desert ghost towns are best in spring and autumn.
Suggested gear: Wide-angle lens, Tripod, Headlamp, Sturdy boots. 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Portsmouth, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
BeachBeachBeachBeachBeach
National Wildlife RefugeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Ocracoke Campground13.9 km (8.6 mi) · reservable
- Cape Point Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Long Point Cabin Camp26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- North Core Banks - Beach Camping26 km (16 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Portsmouth?
What time is golden hour at Portsmouth?
Where does the sun rise and set at Portsmouth?
Can you see the Milky Way from Portsmouth?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Portsmouth?
How far is Portsmouth from Buxton?
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.