Los Angeles Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Los Angeles County, California. It sits roughly 4.8 km (3.0 mi) SE of San Pedro. Its recorded tower height is about 21 m (69 ft). It dates from 1913. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Los Angeles Harbor Light, also known as Angels Gate Light, is a lighthouse in California, United States, at San Pedro Breakwater in Los Angeles Harbor, California. The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is listed as Los Angeles Light in the USCG Lights list. It is one of few lighthouses in the United States that emits emerald green light; others include Portsmouth Harbor Light of New Hampshire and Newburyport Harbor Light of Massachusetts.From the Wikipedia article “Los Angeles Harbor Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Los Angeles Harbor Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 61° ENE | 8:07 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 118° ESE | 4:49 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 55m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:57 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:14 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 56m |
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 Los Angeles Harbor Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | 4:32 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:42 AM – 4:52 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 4:14 AM | 4.5 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:50 PM – 3:50 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:46 PM – 2:26 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:12 PM – 12:22 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 10:25 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:23 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.32 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (68%). September 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 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 77 | 80 | 76 | 84 | 87 | 78 | 74 |
| Low °F | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 53 | 54 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 52 | 49 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 |
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.
- 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 Cabrillo Beach, 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Los Angeles Harbor Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Beach
Scenic Viewpoint
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Los Angeles Harbor Light?
What time is golden hour at Los Angeles Harbor Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Los Angeles Harbor Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Los Angeles Harbor Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Los Angeles Harbor Light?
How far is Los Angeles Harbor Light from San Pedro?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. 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.