Pendleton Light is a lighthouse in San Diego County, California. The nearest town is Camp Pendleton South, about 13.3 km (8.3 mi) away (Pendleton Light lies NW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pendleton 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) | 6:54 AM | 90° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:42 AM | 61° ENE | 8:03 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:51 AM | 118° ESE | 4:47 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:33 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:01 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:46 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:43 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:15 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:20 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Pendleton Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:19 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:31 AM – 5:31 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:28 AM – 4:48 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:29 PM – 4:09 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:44 PM – 3:54 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:40 PM – 2:30 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:07 PM – 12:27 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:21 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:30 PM | 0.8 | 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: 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 ≈ 19.72 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 28% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (43%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 85 | 85 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 102 | 101 | 91 | 82 |
| Low °F | 35 | 38 | 40 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 56 | 55 | 55 | 48 | 38 | 38 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 San Clemente, 17.1 km (10.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pendleton Light, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
CanyonCanyon
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Fire LookoutFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pendleton Light?
What time is golden hour at Pendleton Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pendleton Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pendleton Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pendleton Light?
How far is Pendleton Light from Camp Pendleton South?
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.