Guard Island Light — a lighthouse in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 18.7 km (11.6 mi) NW of Ketchikan. It dates from 1904. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Guard Island Light is a lighthouse on a small island near the entrance to the Tongass Narrows, in Clarence Strait in southeastern Alaska. The western entrance to the Behm Canal also lies nearby.From the Wikipedia article “Guard Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Guard Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 44° (NE) at the June solstice and 133° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 316° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 58° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:06 AM | 44° NE | 9:35 PM | 316° NW | 58° | 17h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 88° E | 6:48 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:14 AM | 133° SE | 3:18 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 7h 04m |
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 | 7:23 AM | 8:06 AM | 9:15 AM | 2:41 PM | 3:49 PM | 4:33 PM | 7h 43m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:06 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 41m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:52 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 09m |
| May | 3:49 AM | 4:38 AM | 5:34 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:40 PM | 16h 13m |
| June | 3:06 AM | 4:06 AM | 5:08 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:32 PM | 17h 27m |
| July | 3:33 AM | 4:27 AM | 5:26 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:21 PM | 10:15 PM | 16h 55m |
| August | 4:39 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:24 PM | 9:07 PM | 15h 03m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:18 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 46m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:26 PM | 10h 31m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:25 AM | 2:41 PM | 3:44 PM | 4:25 PM | 8h 21m |
| December | 7:24 AM | 8:10 AM | 9:26 AM | 2:01 PM | 3:17 PM | 4:03 PM | 7h 07m |
Local time (America/Sitka), 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
At this latitude the summer nights are too short or too bright for the Milky Way core to stand high in true darkness; aim for star trails or the aurora.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.89 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 71% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (82%). August 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 | 45 | 43 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 66 | 51 | 46 |
| Low °F | -14 | -3 | -5 | 11 | 23 | 37 | 43 | 43 | 35 | 17 | -4 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 13.4 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 7.9 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 9.3 | 12.4 | 14.1 | 13.5 | 12.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Vallenar Point, 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Guard Island Light, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- S'Igeidí Aas HíDi Cabin12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Signal Creek Campground12.2 km (7.6 mi) · reservable
- Last Chance Campground12.4 km (7.7 mi) · reservable
- Helm Bay Cabin21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Trollers Cove Cabin22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Guard Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Guard Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Guard Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Guard Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Guard Island Light?
How far is Guard Island Light from Ketchikan?
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.