Located in Mobile County, Alabama, Battery Gladden Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Mobile, about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away (Battery Gladden Light lies SSE of town).
The Battery Gladden Light was a lighthouse in Mobile Bay which marked a turn in the old ship channel. It was deactivated in 1913 and no longer exists.From the Wikipedia article “Battery Gladden Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Battery Gladden Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 62° ENE | 7:59 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 117° ESE | 4:56 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
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 | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:27 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 PM | 10h 10m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Battery Gladden Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:11 AM – 5:11 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:21 AM – 5:41 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 4:22 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 4:05 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:20 PM – 10:40 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:42 PM – 8:42 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.6 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 95 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 21 | 28 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 56 | 42 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Coast Guard Sector Mobile, 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Battery Gladden Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Ghost Town
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Botanical GardenScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Battery Gladden Light?
What time is golden hour at Battery Gladden Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Battery Gladden Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Battery Gladden Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Battery Gladden Light?
How far is Battery Gladden Light from Mobile?
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.