Located in Alaska, Spanish Islands Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 140 km (87 mi) SSE of Sitka.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Spanish Islands Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 317° (NW) in June to 227° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 11° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:10 AM | 43° NE | 9:48 PM | 317° NW | 57° | 17h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:43 AM | 88° E | 6:57 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:27 AM | 134° SE | 3:24 PM | 227° SW | 11° | 6h 57m |
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 | 7:34 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:28 AM | 2:44 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:39 PM | 7h 37m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:05 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 38m |
| March | 6:35 AM | 7:12 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:11 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:11 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:12 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 12m |
| May | 3:54 AM | 4:44 AM | 5:41 AM | 8:06 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:53 PM | 16h 19m |
| June | 3:08 AM | 4:10 AM | 5:15 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:45 PM | 10:47 PM | 17h 35m |
| July | 3:36 AM | 4:32 AM | 5:33 AM | 8:33 PM | 9:34 PM | 10:30 PM | 17h 02m |
| August | 4:45 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 07m |
| September | 5:51 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:20 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:35 PM | 10h 29m |
| November | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:38 AM | 2:46 PM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 8h 16m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:41 AM | 2:03 PM | 3:22 PM | 4:10 PM | 7h 00m |
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 | — | 1° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 September as the clearest month (about 82% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (92%). 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 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 57 | 62 | 66 | 63 | 65 | 62 | 57 | 54 | 52 |
| Low °F | 18 | 20 | 19 | 35 | 38 | 42 | 48 | 50 | 46 | 38 | 24 | 23 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.2 | 6.6 | 6.2 | 5.4 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 8.5 | 9.9 | 9.7 | 9.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Affleck Canal entrance, Kuiu Island, 5.6 km (3.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Spanish Islands Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
LighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Spanish Islands Light?
What time is golden hour at Spanish Islands Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Spanish Islands Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Spanish Islands Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Spanish Islands Light?
How far is Spanish Islands Light from Sitka?
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.