Located in Nome Census Area, Alaska, Prince of Wales Light is a lighthouse.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Prince of Wales Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 5° (N) at the June solstice and 159° (SSE) in late December. Sunset moves from 355° (N) in June to 201° (SSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 48° in summer but only 1° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 9:13 AM | 88° E | 9:28 PM | 272° W | 24° | 12h 16m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:37 AM | 5° N | 2:53 AM | 355° N | 48° | 23h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 8:56 AM | 88° E | 9:16 PM | 273° W | 25° | 12h 20m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 12:38 PM | 159° SSE | 3:45 PM | 201° SSW | 1° | 3h 06m |
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 | 10:44 AM | 12:00 PM | — | — | 4:45 PM | 6:01 PM | 4h 45m |
| February | 9:21 AM | 10:16 AM | 11:42 AM | 5:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:34 PM | 8h 23m |
| March | 8:42 AM | 9:32 AM | 10:40 AM | 8:05 PM | 9:13 PM | 10:03 PM | 11h 41m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:44 AM | 9:42 PM | 10:52 PM | 11:53 PM | 15h 19m |
| May | — | 5:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 11:07 PM | 12:40 AM | — | 19h 01m |
| June | — | 3:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 12:04 AM | 2:42 AM | — | 22h 55m |
| July | — | 4:59 AM | 6:53 AM | 11:45 PM | 1:39 AM | — | 20h 40m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:11 AM | 10:25 PM | 11:41 PM | 12:54 AM | 16h 46m |
| September | 7:43 AM | 8:35 AM | 9:41 AM | 8:36 PM | 9:42 PM | 10:34 PM | 13h 08m |
| October | 9:17 AM | 10:09 AM | 11:24 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:41 PM | 9h 41m |
| November | 9:51 AM | 10:57 AM | — | — | 4:59 PM | 6:05 PM | 6h 02m |
| December | 10:58 AM | 12:31 PM | — | — | 3:46 PM | 5:19 PM | 3h 14m |
Local time (America/Nome), 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 | — | -14° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -11° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| May | No darkness | — | — | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | No darkness | — | — | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -12° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -14° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -22° | — |
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 0.0+ 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 67% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (86%). 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 | 36 | 35 | 33 | 36 | 47 | 56 | 60 | 57 | 52 | 50 | 40 | 36 |
| Low °F | -23 | -22 | -16 | -9 | 4 | 28 | 36 | 37 | 28 | 18 | -1 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Tin City, 10.7 km (6.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Prince of Wales Light?
What time is golden hour at Prince of Wales Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Prince of Wales Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Prince of Wales Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Prince of Wales Light?
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.