Located in Pima County, Arizona, Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena is a lighthouse at about 97 m (318 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Fortuna Foothills, about 172 km (107 mi) away (Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena lies SSE of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 82° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:39 AM | 90° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 62° ENE | 7:42 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:23 AM | 89° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 117° ESE | 5:36 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 07m |
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 | 7:08 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 20m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 05m |
| March | 6:21 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:43 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 56m |
| May | 5:13 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 45m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 14h 10m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 14h 00m |
| August | 5:35 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 18m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:06 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 26m |
| November | 6:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 34m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 07m |
Local time (America/Phoenix), 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
From Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:53 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 2.0 | 26° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:07 AM – 4:37 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:06 PM – 3:56 AM | 4.8 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:19 PM – 3:49 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:16 PM – 2:16 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:46 PM – 12:16 AM | 3.5 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:03 PM – 10:13 PM | 2.2 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:24 PM – 8:24 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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 ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 23% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (40%). 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 | 84 | 84 | 94 | 96 | 99 | 110 | 110 | 108 | 108 | 102 | 93 | 85 |
| Low °F | 35 | 36 | 43 | 51 | 53 | 65 | 72 | 72 | 65 | 51 | 43 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Puerto Penasco, 139 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena?
What time is golden hour at Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena?
Where does the sun rise and set at Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena?
Can you see the Milky Way from Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena?
How far is Faro Puerto Peñasco Cerro de la Ballena from Fortuna Foothills?
Sources
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors. 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.