Cape Hinchinbrook Light — a lighthouse in Chugach Census Area, Alaska — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Hinchinbrook Lighthouse Reserve. It sits roughly 60 km (37 mi) SW of Cordova. Its recorded tower height is about 20 m (66 ft). It dates from 1910. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cape Hinchinbrook Light is a lighthouse located near the southern end of Hinchinbrook Island adjacent to Prince William Sound, in Alaska, United States.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Hinchinbrook Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Hinchinbrook Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 34° (NE) at the June solstice and 141° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 326° (NW) in June to 219° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 53° in summer but only 6° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:49 AM | 89° E | 8:01 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 13m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:20 AM | 34° NE | 11:18 PM | 326° NW | 53° | 18h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 88° E | 7:48 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 17m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:52 AM | 141° SE | 3:39 PM | 219° SW | 6° | 5h 47m |
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 | 8:43 AM | 9:37 AM | 11:13 AM | 2:40 PM | 4:17 PM | 5:10 PM | 6h 40m |
| February | 7:42 AM | 8:26 AM | 9:31 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:21 PM | 9h 11m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 9:00 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:31 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:52 PM | 14h 36m |
| May | 4:03 AM | 5:07 AM | 6:15 AM | 9:12 PM | 10:20 PM | 11:25 PM | 17h 13m |
| June | 2:30 AM | 4:21 AM | 5:41 AM | 9:55 PM | 11:15 PM | 1:06 AM | 18h 54m |
| July | 3:29 AM | 4:49 AM | 6:03 AM | 9:43 PM | 10:57 PM | 12:18 AM | 18h 08m |
| August | 5:09 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:43 PM | 10:35 PM | 15h 42m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:15 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:53 PM | 12h 55m |
| October | 7:45 AM | 8:27 AM | 9:27 AM | 5:39 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:21 PM | 10h 11m |
| November | 7:58 AM | 8:47 AM | 10:08 AM | 2:56 PM | 4:17 PM | 5:07 PM | 7h 30m |
| December | 8:49 AM | 9:47 AM | 11:59 AM | 1:27 PM | 3:38 PM | 4:37 PM | 5h 51m |
Local time (America/Anchorage), 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 | — | -11° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 71% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 43 | 41 | 45 | 52 | 62 | 73 | 73 | 72 | 65 | 52 | 47 | 43 |
| Low °F | -2 | 3 | -2 | 17 | 30 | 38 | 42 | 43 | 34 | 21 | 3 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.5 | 9.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 6.3 | 5.5 | 7.3 | 10.7 | 14.6 | 12.9 | 11.7 | 12.1 |
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
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- 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 Cape Hinchinbrook, 115 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Shelter Bay Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Hook Point Cabin23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Double Bay Cabin28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Hinchinbrook Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape Hinchinbrook Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Hinchinbrook Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Hinchinbrook Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Hinchinbrook Light?
How far is Cape Hinchinbrook Light from Cordova?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, OpenStreetMap contributors, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.