Located in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska, Vitskari Island Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Sitka, about 14.2 km (8.8 mi) away (Vitskari Island Light lies WSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Vitskari Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 41° (NE) at the June solstice and 135° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 319° (NW) in June to 225° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 56° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 33° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:08 AM | 41° NE | 10:01 PM | 319° NW | 56° | 17h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 88° E | 7:03 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:40 AM | 135° SE | 3:22 PM | 225° SW | 10° | 6h 43m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 9:44 AM | 2:40 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:41 PM | 7h 25m |
| February | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:06 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 32m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:15 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:13 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 17m |
| May | 3:52 AM | 4:44 AM | 5:44 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:15 PM | 10:07 PM | 16h 30m |
| June | 3:00 AM | 4:08 AM | 5:15 AM | 8:52 PM | 9:59 PM | 11:07 PM | 17h 51m |
| July | 3:31 AM | 4:31 AM | 5:34 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:46 PM | 10:46 PM | 17h 15m |
| August | 4:45 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 14m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:23 PM | 8:01 PM | 12h 49m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:30 AM | 5:07 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 25m |
| November | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:52 AM | 2:44 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:35 PM | 8h 06m |
| December | 7:46 AM | 8:35 AM | 10:01 AM | 1:56 PM | 3:21 PM | 4:10 PM | 6h 46m |
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
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 | — | -10° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | No darkness | — | — | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.83 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.0+ 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 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (84%). 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 | 50 | 46 | 62 | 68 | 73 | 83 | 81 | 80 | 72 | 60 | 51 | 48 |
| Low °F | -5 | -1 | -3 | 16 | 27 | 37 | 42 | 42 | 34 | 20 | -1 | 0 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.3 | 6.3 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 5.6 | 7.5 | 10.4 | 10.8 | 9.6 | 9.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Sitka, 13.4 km (8.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Vitskari Island Light, closest first.
LighthouseLighthouse
Mountain Peak
State Park
Lake
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Freds Creek Cabin8.3 km (5.2 mi) · reservable
- Samsing Cove Cabin11.8 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- Brents Beach Cabin15.4 km (9.6 mi) · reservable
- Starrigavan Creek Cabin18.1 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- Kanga Bay Cabin18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Vitskari Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Vitskari Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Vitskari Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Vitskari Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Vitskari Island Light?
How far is Vitskari Island 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.