Kissimmee Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Osceola County, Florida. It sits roughly 2.1 km (1.3 mi) SSE of Kissimmee.
The Lake Tohopekaliga Light, more commonly known as the Kissimmee Lighthouse, is a 22-foot (6.7 m) red brick lighthouse, located in Kissimmee, Florida, United States. Situated on a pier at Kissimmee Lakefront Park in the Kissimmee Historic District, the lighthouse is located along the northwestern shore of Lake Tohopekaliga. The lighthouse is currently active, as it assists pleasure craft approaching the marina from the lake.From the Wikipedia article “Kissimmee (Lake Tohopekaliga) Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kissimmee Lighthouse 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 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 63° ENE | 8:26 PM | 297° WNW | 85° | 13h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 116° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 21m |
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 | 7:54 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 32m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 50m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 33m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 56m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 46m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 10m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 45m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 21m |
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 Kissimmee Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 33° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:58 AM | 5.2 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 4:49 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:20 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:26 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.44 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 98 | 101 | 102 | 99 | 99 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 87 |
| Low °F | 23 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 53 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 60 | 37 | 36 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Kissimmee Lighthouse, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kissimmee Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Kissimmee Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kissimmee Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kissimmee Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kissimmee Lighthouse?
How far is Kissimmee Lighthouse from Kissimmee?
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.