Chiniak Island Light — a lighthouse in Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Kodiak, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Chiniak Island Light lies SE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chiniak Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 40° (NE) at the June solstice and 136° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 320° (NW) in June to 224° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 56° in summer but only 9° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:11 AM | 89° E | 8:23 PM | 271° W | 32° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:09 AM | 40° NE | 11:13 PM | 320° NW | 56° | 18h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:55 AM | 88° E | 8:10 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 9:51 AM | 136° SE | 4:24 PM | 224° SW | 9° | 6h 33m |
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 | 8:53 AM | 9:40 AM | 10:58 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:45 PM | 7h 17m |
| February | 7:59 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:38 AM | 5:10 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:49 PM | 9h 29m |
| March | 7:46 AM | 8:25 AM | 9:17 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:50 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:19 PM | 10:02 PM | 14h 21m |
| May | 4:52 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:48 AM | 9:24 PM | 10:25 PM | 11:19 PM | 16h 38m |
| June | 3:57 AM | 5:09 AM | 6:18 AM | 10:01 PM | 11:11 PM | 12:23 AM | 18h 02m |
| July | 4:30 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:38 AM | 9:52 PM | 10:57 PM | 12:00 AM | 17h 24m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:58 PM | 9:53 PM | 10:40 PM | 15h 19m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:31 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:09 PM | 12h 50m |
| October | 8:04 AM | 8:44 AM | 9:38 AM | 6:11 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:45 PM | 10h 22m |
| November | 8:10 AM | 8:54 AM | 10:03 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:39 PM | 8h 00m |
| December | 8:56 AM | 9:47 AM | 11:17 AM | 2:53 PM | 4:23 PM | 5:14 PM | 6h 36m |
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 | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -7° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 2.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 69% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (77%). 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 | 43 | 42 | 43 | 56 | 67 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 66 | 54 | 48 | 45 |
| Low °F | -1 | 7 | 3 | 16 | 26 | 38 | 44 | 44 | 35 | 22 | 0 | 5 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.6 | 5.1 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 6.3 |
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 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Kodiak, St. Paul Harbor, 24 km (15 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chiniak Island Light, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouseLighthouse
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chiniak Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Chiniak Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chiniak Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chiniak Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chiniak Island Light?
How far is Chiniak Island Light from Kodiak?
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.