Año Nuevo Island Light (historical) is a lighthouse in San Mateo County, California. It sits roughly 18.1 km (11.2 mi) WNW of Bonny Doon.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Año Nuevo Island Light (historical) the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 90° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 36m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 54m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 51m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 09m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 42m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 28m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 36m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 12m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 38m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Año Nuevo Island Light (historical), the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:13 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:06 AM – 4:56 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:14 AM – 4:14 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:23 PM – 3:53 AM | 5.5 | 24° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:17 PM – 2:27 AM | 4.2 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 12:28 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:26 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.5 | 14° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Ano Nuevo Island, 109 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Año Nuevo Island Light (historical), closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Waterfall
LighthouseWaterfallWaterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Año Nuevo Island Light (historical)?
What time is golden hour at Año Nuevo Island Light (historical)?
Where does the sun rise and set at Año Nuevo Island Light (historical)?
Can you see the Milky Way from Año Nuevo Island Light (historical)?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Año Nuevo Island Light (historical)?
How far is Año Nuevo Island Light (historical) from Bonny Doon?
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.