Located in Alaska, Larzatita Island Reef Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Craig, about 16.5 km (10.3 mi) away (Larzatita Island Reef Light lies NW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Larzatita Island Reef 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 317° (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) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:07 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:10 AM | 44° NE | 9:41 PM | 317° NW | 58° | 17h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 88° E | 6:54 PM | 272° W | 35° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:21 AM | 133° SE | 3:23 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 7h 02m |
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 | 7:29 AM | 8:13 AM | 9:21 AM | 2:45 PM | 3:54 PM | 4:38 PM | 7h 41m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 40m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:09 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:39 PM | 14h 10m |
| May | 3:54 AM | 4:43 AM | 5:40 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:47 PM | 16h 15m |
| June | 3:10 AM | 4:10 AM | 5:13 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:39 PM | 10:39 PM | 17h 29m |
| July | 3:37 AM | 4:32 AM | 5:32 AM | 8:28 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:22 PM | 16h 56m |
| August | 4:44 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:13 PM | 15h 04m |
| September | 5:49 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 46m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:16 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 30m |
| November | 6:47 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:32 AM | 2:46 PM | 3:49 PM | 4:30 PM | 8h 20m |
| December | 7:30 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:33 AM | 2:05 PM | 3:22 PM | 4:08 PM | 7h 05m |
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
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 ≈ 21.95 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 73% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (80%). 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 | 53 | 49 | 56 | 63 | 70 | 76 | 71 | 73 | 68 | 62 | 54 | 51 |
| Low °F | 14 | 15 | 14 | 31 | 35 | 40 | 47 | 49 | 44 | 34 | 17 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.7 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 5.4 | 6.9 | 9.7 | 10.8 | 10.8 | 10.3 |
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.
- 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 Cruz Pass, San Fernando Island, 4.8 km (3.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Larzatita Island Reef Light?
What time is golden hour at Larzatita Island Reef Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Larzatita Island Reef Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Larzatita Island Reef Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Larzatita Island Reef Light?
How far is Larzatita Island Reef Light from Craig?
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.