Located in Humboldt County, California, Table Bluff Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 7.9 km (4.9 mi) WSW of Humboldt Hill. Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft). It dates from 1892.
Table Bluff Light is a lighthouse in California, United States, which was located on Table Bluff just south of Humboldt Bay. Built to guide vessels away from the notoriously dangerous and rough coastline and to let them know proximity of the nearby bay and entrance, the lighthouse was one of the first to be automated. The lighthouse tower portion is now located at the Woodley Island Marina within the City of Eureka.From the Wikipedia article “Table Bluff Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Table Bluff Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 58° ENE | 8:52 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:05 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 121° ESE | 4:54 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 15m |
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 | 7:10 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 35m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 04m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:20 PM | 14h 48m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:06 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 56m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 17m |
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 Table Bluff Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:45 AM – 5:55 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:41 AM – 4:01 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:57 PM – 3:37 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 9:01 PM – 10:11 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.0 | 11° | 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: 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 ≈ 21.19 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 61% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (78%). August 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 | 67 | 67 | 68 | 72 | 78 | 82 | 76 | 75 | 88 | 79 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | 35 | 37 | 39 | 40 | 43 | 47 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 44 | 39 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 7.1 | 6.8 | 3.7 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 5.6 | 10.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Hookton Slough, 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Table Bluff Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
Lighthouse
State Park
Natural ArchFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Table Bluff Light?
What time is golden hour at Table Bluff Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Table Bluff Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Table Bluff Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Table Bluff Light?
How far is Table Bluff Light from Humboldt Hill?
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.