Located in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, Homer Spit Light Number 3 is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) ESE of Homer.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Homer Spit Light Number 3 the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 36° (NE) at the June solstice and 140° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 324° (NW) in June to 221° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 54° in summer but only 7° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 8:08 AM | 89° E | 8:20 PM | 272° W | 30° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:47 AM | 36° NE | 11:30 PM | 324° NW | 54° | 18h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:51 AM | 88° E | 8:07 PM | 272° W | 31° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:05 AM | 140° SE | 4:04 PM | 221° SW | 7° | 6h 00m |
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 | 8:59 AM | 9:51 AM | 11:21 AM | 3:10 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:32 PM | 6h 50m |
| February | 8:00 AM | 8:43 AM | 9:46 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:42 PM | 9h 16m |
| March | 7:42 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:17 AM | 7:13 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:49 PM | 11h 45m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:22 PM | 10:08 PM | 14h 32m |
| May | 4:29 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:37 AM | 9:29 PM | 10:35 PM | 11:37 PM | 17h 04m |
| June | 3:12 AM | 4:47 AM | 6:04 AM | 10:10 PM | 11:27 PM | 1:02 AM | 18h 40m |
| July | 3:59 AM | 5:14 AM | 6:26 AM | 9:59 PM | 11:10 PM | 12:25 AM | 17h 56m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:22 AM | 9:00 PM | 9:59 PM | 10:49 PM | 15h 36m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:10 PM | 12h 53m |
| October | 8:03 AM | 8:45 AM | 9:43 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:41 PM | 10h 14m |
| November | 8:14 AM | 9:02 AM | 10:20 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:28 PM | 7h 38m |
| December | 9:04 AM | 10:00 AM | 11:55 AM | 2:08 PM | 4:03 PM | 4:59 PM | 6h 03m |
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 | — | -12° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -6° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.0+ 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 72% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 42 | 39 | 42 | 54 | 66 | 74 | 76 | 72 | 63 | 52 | 47 | 44 |
| Low °F | -4 | -2 | -4 | 10 | 19 | 36 | 41 | 41 | 32 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.7 | 5.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 5.5 | 7.5 | 7.2 | 6.5 | 6.9 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Homer, Coal Point, Kachemak Bay, 111 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Homer Spit Light Number 3, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
WaterfallWaterfall
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Homer Spit Light Number 3?
What time is golden hour at Homer Spit Light Number 3?
Where does the sun rise and set at Homer Spit Light Number 3?
Can you see the Milky Way from Homer Spit Light Number 3?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Homer Spit Light Number 3?
How far is Homer Spit Light Number 3 from Homer?
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.