Point Sur Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Monterey County, California at about 67 m (220 ft) above sea level. It is part of Point Sur State Historic Park. The nearest town is Big Sur, about 9.0 km (5.6 mi) away (Point Sur Lighthouse lies WNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 15 m (49 ft). It dates from 1889. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Point Sur Lighthouse is a lightstation at Point Sur 24.6 miles (39.6 km) south of Monterey, California at the peak of the 361-foot (110 m) rock at the head of the point. It was established in 1889 and is part of Point Sur State Historic Park. The light house is 40 feet (12 m) tall and 270 feet (82 m) above sea level. As of 2016, and for the foreseeable future, the light is still in operation as an essential aid to navigation.From the Wikipedia article “Point Sur Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Sur Lighthouse 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 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:29 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 38m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:06 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 119° ESE | 4:57 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 41m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 37m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Sur Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:26 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:11 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:03 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.8 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:09 AM – 4:19 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:58 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:12 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 12:25 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 10:24 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (49%). 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 | 80 | 77 | 83 | 92 | 103 | 108 | 113 | 110 | 113 | 102 | 90 | 77 |
| Low °F | 20 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 37 | 42 | 47 | 48 | 44 | 36 | 27 | 24 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 4.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Carmel Cove, Carmel Bay, 24 km (15 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Point Sur Lighthouse, closest first.
State Park
State Park
Beach
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Wilderness AreaWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Sur Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Point Sur Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Sur Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Sur Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Sur Lighthouse?
How far is Point Sur Lighthouse from Big Sur?
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.