Located in Sitka City and Borough, Alaska, Warm Springs Bay Light is a lighthouse at about 55 m (180 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Sitka, about 34 km (21 mi) away (Warm Springs Bay Light lies E of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Warm Springs Bay 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 9° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:02 AM | 89° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 33° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:04 AM | 41° NE | 9:59 PM | 319° NW | 56° | 17h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 88° E | 7:00 PM | 272° W | 33° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:37 AM | 135° SE | 3:19 PM | 225° SW | 9° | 6h 41m |
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 | 7:41 AM | 8:27 AM | 9:42 AM | 2:36 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:38 PM | 7h 24m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:03 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 32m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:12 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 47m |
| April | 5:09 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 17m |
| May | 3:48 AM | 4:41 AM | 5:40 AM | 8:12 PM | 9:12 PM | 10:05 PM | 16h 31m |
| June | 2:56 AM | 4:04 AM | 5:12 AM | 8:49 PM | 9:57 PM | 11:05 PM | 17h 52m |
| July | 3:27 AM | 4:27 AM | 5:31 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:44 PM | 10:44 PM | 17h 16m |
| August | 4:42 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 15m |
| September | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 49m |
| October | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 25m |
| November | 6:58 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:49 AM | 2:40 PM | 3:47 PM | 4:31 PM | 8h 05m |
| December | 7:43 AM | 8:33 AM | 9:59 AM | 1:52 PM | 3:17 PM | 4:07 PM | 6h 44m |
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: 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 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%). July is the warmest month and February 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 | 48 | 45 | 60 | 68 | 73 | 83 | 81 | 79 | 72 | 60 | 51 | 48 |
| Low °F | -3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 28 | 38 | 43 | 44 | 37 | 21 | 2 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 9.0 | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.3 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 6.1 | 7.9 | 10.7 | 10.3 | 9.3 | 9.2 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Baranof, Warm Spring Bay, 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Warm Springs Bay Light, closest first.
Hot Spring
Lighthouse
WaterfallWaterfall
Mountain PeakCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Warm Springs Bay Light?
What time is golden hour at Warm Springs Bay Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Warm Springs Bay Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Warm Springs Bay Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Warm Springs Bay Light?
How far is Warm Springs Bay 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.