Falkner Island Light — a lighthouse in Connecticut — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. It sits roughly 8.0 km (5.0 mi) SSE of Guilford Center. Its recorded tower height is about 46 m (151 ft). It dates from 1802. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Falkner Island Light, also known as the Faulkner Island Lighthouse, is a lighthouse in Connecticut, United States, on Falkner Island which is off Guilford Harbor on Long Island Sound. The lighthouse was constructed in 1802 and commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson. The lighthouse has had three keeper's houses: the original house of 1802 was rebuilt in 1851 and then again in 1871. The 1871 keeper's house survived to 1976, when it was destroyed by fire; the Coast Guard repaired and automated the lighthouse two years later. A volunteer group, the Faulkner's Light Brigade, has undertaken the restoration and preservation of the lighthouse since 1991, completing the last major restoration work in March 2011. Access to Falkner Island and the light is restricted during the nesting season of the roseate terns from May to August yearly. The Falkner Island Lighthouse, as the second oldest...From the Wikipedia article “Falkner Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Falkner Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:19 AM | 57° ENE | 8:28 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 121° ESE | 4:25 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:46 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:59 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:02 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:44 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:26 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:29 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:55 PM | 9h 13m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Falkner Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 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 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:08 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:30 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:17 AM – 3:37 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:05 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:45 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:36 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:36 PM – 9:36 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 7:43 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). July is the warmest month and January 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 | 63 | 63 | 73 | 89 | 87 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 76 | 68 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -1 | 21 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 41 | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Sachem Head, 5.9 km (3.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Falkner Island Light, closest first.
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LighthouseLighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Falkner Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Falkner Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Falkner Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Falkner Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Falkner Island Light?
How far is Falkner Island Light from Guilford Center?
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.