Charlotte Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Lee County, Florida. The nearest town is Bokeelia, about 8.0 km (5.0 mi) away (Charlotte Harbor Light lies NNE of town).
The Charlotte Harbor Light was placed at a bend in the deeper part of Charlotte Harbor to guide ships to the railroad docks in Punta Gorda, Florida. Punta Gorda lost importance as a port when railroad lines reached Boca Grande on the southern end of Gasparilla Island at the entrance to Charlotte Harbor in 1906. The lighthouse steadily deteriorated and had to be demolished in 1943. The iron pilings were removed in 1975.From the Wikipedia article “Charlotte Harbor Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Charlotte Harbor Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:40 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:26 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:26 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 116° ESE | 5:41 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 27m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:24 PM | 5:58 PM | 6:23 PM | 10h 38m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:10 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:01 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 48m |
| May | 6:17 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 28m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 49m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 40m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 06m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 50m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 28m |
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 Charlotte Harbor Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° 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 | 4:40 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:45 AM – 6:15 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:44 AM | 4.0 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:46 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:56 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:55 PM – 3:35 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:33 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:19 PM – 9:29 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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 ≈ 20.83 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show May as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 76 | 76 | 78 | 83 | 86 | 90 | 89 | 90 | 89 | 88 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 42 | 46 | 50 | 58 | 68 | 74 | 78 | 79 | 74 | 60 | 54 | 50 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 7.2 | 6.6 | 7.9 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
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.
- 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 Turtle Bay, 4.7 km (2.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Charlotte Harbor Light, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Charlotte Harbor Light?
What time is golden hour at Charlotte Harbor Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Charlotte Harbor Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Charlotte Harbor Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Charlotte Harbor Light?
How far is Charlotte Harbor Light from Bokeelia?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, 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.