Priest Rock Light (historical) is a lighthouse in Aleutians West Census Area, Alaska. The nearest town is Dutch Harbor, about 17.0 km (10.6 mi) away (Priest Rock Light (historical) lies NE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Priest Rock Light (historical) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 46° (NE) at the June solstice and 131° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 314° (NW) in June to 229° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 59° in summer but only 13° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:08 AM | 89° E | 9:19 PM | 271° W | 36° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:34 AM | 46° NE | 11:43 PM | 314° NW | 59° | 17h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:52 AM | 89° E | 9:06 PM | 272° W | 36° | 12h 14m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 10:23 AM | 131° SE | 5:45 PM | 229° SW | 13° | 7h 22m |
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 | 9:35 AM | 10:17 AM | 11:20 AM | 5:11 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:56 PM | 7h 58m |
| February | 8:49 AM | 9:26 AM | 10:18 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 9h 49m |
| March | 8:45 AM | 9:21 AM | 10:08 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:45 PM | 11h 49m |
| April | 7:27 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:53 AM | 9:20 PM | 10:08 PM | 10:45 PM | 14h 03m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:57 AM | 10:09 PM | 11:02 PM | 11:48 PM | 15h 59m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:33 AM | 10:41 PM | 11:40 PM | 12:35 AM | 17h 07m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:50 AM | 10:34 PM | 11:31 PM | 12:21 AM | 16h 37m |
| August | 7:04 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:34 AM | 9:47 PM | 10:37 PM | 11:18 PM | 14h 53m |
| September | 8:04 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:26 AM | 8:37 PM | 9:23 PM | 9:59 PM | 12h 44m |
| October | 8:59 AM | 9:34 AM | 10:23 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:45 PM | 10h 35m |
| November | 8:55 AM | 9:35 AM | 10:33 AM | 5:09 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:47 PM | 8h 33m |
| December | 9:36 AM | 10:19 AM | 11:29 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:28 PM | 7h 24m |
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
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 | — | -8° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| June | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -8° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 91% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (96%). August is the warmest month and March 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 | 43 | 43 | 46 | 48 | 53 | 57 | 60 | 57 | 52 | 49 | 45 |
| Low °F | 17 | 15 | 16 | 24 | 29 | 36 | 39 | 43 | 41 | 34 | 29 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.5 |
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.
- 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 English Bay, 12.2 km (7.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Priest Rock Light (historical), closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Priest Rock Light (historical)?
What time is golden hour at Priest Rock Light (historical)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Priest Rock Light (historical)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Priest Rock Light (historical)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Priest Rock Light (historical)?
How far is Priest Rock Light (historical) from Dutch Harbor?
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.