Located in Nassau County, Florida, Amelia Island Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Fernandina Beach, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Amelia Island Light lies ENE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 20 m (64 ft). It dates from 1838. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Amelia Island Light is the oldest existing lighthouse in the state of Florida in the United States. It is located near the northern end of Amelia Island in the northeastern part of the state. Its light marks St. Marys Entrance, the inlet leading to St. Marys River, the Cumberland Sound and the harbor of Fernandina Beach, Florida along the Amelia River. The white light flashes every ten seconds which turns red from 344° to 360° when covering the shoal water in the vicinity of Nassau Sound. The lighthouse is listed as number 565 in the United States Coast Guard (USCG) light list.From the Wikipedia article “Amelia Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Amelia Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:24 AM | 62° ENE | 8:32 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 08m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 117° ESE | 5:29 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 10m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 23m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 55m |
| May | 6:06 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 42m |
| June | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 07m |
| July | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 57m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 37m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:54 PM | 10h 10m |
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 Amelia Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 30° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:45 AM – 5:45 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:55 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 5:28 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:56 PM – 4:56 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:09 PM – 4:39 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 3:16 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:14 PM | 2.3 | 27° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:16 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.61 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (66%). August 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 | 74 | 75 | 81 | 86 | 90 | 92 | 94 | 92 | 90 | 87 | 81 | 77 |
| Low °F | 32 | 35 | 43 | 50 | 59 | 68 | 75 | 73 | 67 | 51 | 45 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 6.7 | 5.1 | 6.6 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.0 | 2.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Fernandina Beach, Amelia River, 2.3 km (1.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Amelia Island Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Sand Dunes
State Park
Beach
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Amelia Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Amelia Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Amelia Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Amelia Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Amelia Island Light?
How far is Amelia Island Light from Fernandina Beach?
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.