Point San Luis Light — a lighthouse in San Luis Obispo County, California — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.4 km (2.1 mi) SW of Avila Beach. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (39 ft). It dates from 1890. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Point San Luis Lighthouse, also known as the San Luis Obispo Light Station, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Located near Avila Beach and Port San Luis on the Central Coast of California in San Luis Obispo County, it is one of two Prairie Victorian model lighthouse left on the West Coast of the United States. It is being refurbished by the Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers, a volunteer group. The other is Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro.From the Wikipedia article “Point San Luis Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point San Luis Light 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 60° ENE | 8:21 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 119° ESE | 4:55 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:36 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 01m |
| June | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 31m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:20 PM | 13h 29m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 48m |
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 San Luis Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:55 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 4:10 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:07 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:03 PM – 2:33 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:26 PM – 12:26 AM | 3.0 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 10:27 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:33 PM | 0.7 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.92 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (48%). July 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 | 81 | 78 | 84 | 95 | 98 | 105 | 106 | 105 | 109 | 100 | 89 | 78 |
| Low °F | 25 | 29 | 32 | 34 | 40 | 43 | 50 | 49 | 47 | 40 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.8 | 2.6 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 PORT SAN LUIS, 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Point San Luis Light, closest first.
Natural Arch
Hot Spring
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point San Luis Light?
What time is golden hour at Point San Luis Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point San Luis Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point San Luis Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point San Luis Light?
How far is Point San Luis Light from Avila Beach?
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.