Bushy Island Light — a lighthouse in City and Borough of Wrangell, Alaska — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Wrangell, about 42 km (26 mi) away (Bushy Island Light lies WSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bushy Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 318° (NW) in June to 226° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:04 AM | 43° NE | 9:45 PM | 318° NW | 57° | 17h 42m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:38 AM | 88° E | 6:53 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:24 AM | 134° SE | 3:17 PM | 226° SW | 10° | 6h 53m |
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 | 7:30 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:27 AM | 2:37 PM | 3:49 PM | 4:34 PM | 7h 33m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:14 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 36m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:05 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 13m |
| May | 3:47 AM | 4:38 AM | 5:36 AM | 8:02 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:51 PM | 16h 22m |
| June | 3:00 AM | 4:04 AM | 5:09 AM | 8:38 PM | 9:43 PM | 10:46 PM | 17h 39m |
| July | 3:29 AM | 4:26 AM | 5:27 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:28 PM | 17h 05m |
| August | 4:39 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:15 PM | 15h 09m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:17 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:30 PM | 10h 28m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:35 AM | 2:39 PM | 3:44 PM | 4:27 PM | 8h 13m |
| December | 7:32 AM | 8:20 AM | 9:41 AM | 1:55 PM | 3:16 PM | 4:04 PM | 6h 56m |
Local time (America/Juneau), 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
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 43 | 43 | 51 | 56 | 70 | 82 | 80 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 48 | 43 |
| Low °F | -16 | -8 | -9 | 11 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 42 | 33 | 9 | -10 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.1 | 8.1 | 7.8 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 7.3 | 9.6 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 11.6 |
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
- 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.
- Many lighthouses are on private or Coast Guard property — check public access and opening hours.
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Bushy Island, Snow Passage, 1.5 km (1.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bushy Island Light, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Salmon Bay Lake Cabin14.4 km (9.0 mi) · reservable
- Steamer Bay Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Red Bay Lake Cabin23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Deep Bay Cabin23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- El Capitan Cabin26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bushy Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Bushy Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bushy Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bushy Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bushy Island Light?
How far is Bushy Island Light from Wrangell?
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.