Located in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska, Vanderbilt Reef Beacon is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Juneau, about 47 km (29 mi) away (Vanderbilt Reef Beacon lies NW of town).
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse in Alaska, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Vanderbilt Reef Beacon the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 38° (NE) at the June solstice and 138° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 322° (NW) in June to 223° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 55° in summer but only 8° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 31° | 12h 12m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 3:52 AM | 38° NE | 10:14 PM | 322° NW | 55° | 18h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 88° E | 7:02 PM | 272° W | 32° | 12h 16m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:50 AM | 138° SE | 3:08 PM | 223° SW | 8° | 6h 18m |
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 | 7:49 AM | 8:38 AM | 10:01 AM | 2:19 PM | 3:42 PM | 4:32 PM | 7h 04m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:35 AM | 3:56 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 22m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:10 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 46m |
| April | 5:04 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 26m |
| May | 3:35 AM | 4:32 AM | 5:36 AM | 8:19 PM | 9:22 PM | 10:20 PM | 16h 50m |
| June | 2:31 AM | 3:52 AM | 5:05 AM | 8:58 PM | 10:11 PM | 11:32 PM | 18h 19m |
| July | 3:09 AM | 4:17 AM | 5:25 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:56 PM | 11:04 PM | 17h 39m |
| August | 4:34 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 27m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:22 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 52m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 19m |
| November | 7:05 AM | 7:51 AM | 9:04 AM | 2:28 PM | 3:40 PM | 4:27 PM | 7h 50m |
| December | 7:53 AM | 8:46 AM | 10:26 AM | 1:27 PM | 3:07 PM | 4:00 PM | 6h 21m |
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
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 | — | -11° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 0.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 43 | 41 | 51 | 58 | 71 | 77 | 80 | 80 | 71 | 60 | 49 | 44 |
| Low °F | -8 | -5 | -3 | 10 | 25 | 38 | 43 | 43 | 35 | 17 | -2 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 12.2 | 8.9 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 5.9 | 7.3 | 10.3 | 13.3 | 14.0 | 12.3 | 12.9 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Lincoln Island, 10.8 km (6.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Vanderbilt Reef Beacon, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Eagle Glacier Cabin15.8 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Windfall Lake Cabin19.4 km (12.1 mi) · reservable
- Berners Bay Cabin20 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Peterson Lake Cabin24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- John Muir Cabin28 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Vanderbilt Reef Beacon?
What time is golden hour at Vanderbilt Reef Beacon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Vanderbilt Reef Beacon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Vanderbilt Reef Beacon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Vanderbilt Reef Beacon?
How far is Vanderbilt Reef Beacon from Juneau?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.