Pyramid Head Light — a lighthouse in Los Angeles County, California at about 56 m (184 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Avalon, about 58 km (36 mi) away (Pyramid Head Light lies S of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pyramid Head 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 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 61° ENE | 8:05 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 118° ESE | 4:52 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 59m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:37 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:05 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:28 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 07m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:00 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:17 PM | 10h 00m |
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 Pyramid Head 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 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 | 4:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:29 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:30 PM – 4:10 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 3:55 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:41 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:29 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:34 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:33 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: 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 ≈ 21.11 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 70 | 69 | 72 | 69 | 70 | 68 | 71 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 72 | 68 |
| Low °F | 49 | 50 | 51 | 49 | 51 | 51 | 55 | 56 | 56 | 54 | 53 | 52 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 1.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Wilson Cove, San Clemente Island, 28 km (17 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pyramid Head Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pyramid Head Light?
What time is golden hour at Pyramid Head Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pyramid Head Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pyramid Head Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pyramid Head Light?
How far is Pyramid Head Light from Avalon?
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.