Santa Barbara Light is a lighthouse in Santa Barbara County, California. The nearest town is Santa Barbara, about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away (Santa Barbara Light lies SW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 7 m (24 ft). It dates from 1856.
Santa Barbara Lighthouse was a lighthouse in California, United States, on the Santa Barbara Harbor, California.From the Wikipedia article “Santa Barbara Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Santa Barbara 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 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:03 AM | 90° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 61° ENE | 8:15 PM | 300° WNW | 79° | 14h 27m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:57 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:02 AM | 118° ESE | 4:53 PM | 242° WSW | 32° | 9h 51m |
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 | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 06m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 58m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 03m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 57m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 27m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 14m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 27m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 23m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 52m |
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 Santa Barbara 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:49 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 11:53 PM – 4:13 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:00 PM – 4:00 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 2:35 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 10:22 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 8:29 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.59 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 21% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (43%). 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 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 93 | 99 | 108 | 109 | 106 | 111 | 100 | 89 | 80 |
| Low °F | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 35 | 43 | 48 | 50 | 42 | 37 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 1.0 | 2.3 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Santa Barbara, 3.0 km (1.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Santa Barbara Light, closest first.
Beach
Beach
Lighthouse
Beach
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Natural Arch
Hot Spring
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Sage Hill17.1 km (10.6 mi) · reservable
- Upper Oso Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Los Prietos18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Paradise Campground18.2 km (11.3 mi) · reservable
- Fremont Campground18.6 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Santa Barbara Light?
What time is golden hour at Santa Barbara Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Santa Barbara Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Santa Barbara Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Santa Barbara Light?
How far is Santa Barbara Light from Santa Barbara?
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.