Point Fermin Light — a lighthouse in Los Angeles County, California — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is San Pedro, about 3.4 km (2.1 mi) away (Point Fermin Light lies S of town). Its recorded tower height is about 9 m (30 ft). It dates from 1874. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Point Fermin Light is a lighthouse on Point Fermin in the San Pedro neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.From the Wikipedia article “Point Fermin Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Fermin 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) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:44 AM | 61° ENE | 8:08 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 | 7:36 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 10m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:04 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:40 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 | 7:48 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 | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:47 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:00 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 | 7:30 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:15 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 Point Fermin 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 ≈ 18.24 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
- 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.
- 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 Cabrillo Beach, 1.9 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 Point Fermin Light, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenLighthouse
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Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Fermin Light?
What time is golden hour at Point Fermin Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Fermin Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Fermin Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Fermin Light?
How far is Point Fermin Light from San Pedro?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.