San Nicolas Island Light is a lighthouse in Ventura County, California. It sits roughly 105 km (65 mi) SSW of Port Hueneme.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At San Nicolas Island 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) | 7:02 AM | 90° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 61° ENE | 8:11 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:47 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:58 AM | 118° ESE | 4:55 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 | 6:35 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:41 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:17 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:31 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:38 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:23 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:20 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 San Nicolas Island 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:36 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 4:17 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:52 PM – 4:02 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:48 PM – 2:38 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:15 PM – 12:35 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:29 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:38 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.34 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (64%). September is the warmest month and April 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 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 73 | 73 | 78 | 81 | 72 | 70 |
| Low °F | 49 | 48 | 47 | 49 | 52 | 52 | 55 | 57 | 57 | 56 | 51 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.6 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.8 |
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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Nicolas Island, 7.1 km (4.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph San Nicolas Island Light?
What time is golden hour at San Nicolas Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at San Nicolas Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from San Nicolas Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at San Nicolas Island Light?
How far is San Nicolas Island Light from Port Hueneme?
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.