Located in Chatham County, Georgia, Cockspur Island Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Fort Pulaski National Monument, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tybee Island, about 4.1 km (2.5 mi) away (Cockspur Island Light lies NW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 14 m (46 ft). It dates from 1837.
The Cockspur Island Light is the smallest lighthouse in Georgia. It ceased operation as an active beacon in 1909. It has been relit since 2007 for historical rather than navigational purposes. The lighthouse is situated on an islet off Cockspur Island at the south channel of the Savannah River near Lazaretto Creek, northwest of Tybee Island in Chatham County, Georgia. It is part of Fort Pulaski National Monument.From the Wikipedia article “Cockspur Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
From the National Park Service
The Cockspur Lighthouse stands on a small islet off the southeastern tip of Cockspur Island, overlooking the South Channel of the Savannah River. The islet, often covered by high tide, is comprised of oyster shells, and marsh grass.
Documented references suggest the first brick tower, used as a daymark, was built on Cockspur Island between March 1837 and November 1839. In 1848, John Norris, a New York architect, was contracted to supervise construction of an illuminated station. The noted architect designed many of Savannah's grand structures including the U.S. Custom House in downtown Savannah, the Mercer-Wilder House, and the Green-Meldrim House, where General Sherman stayed during the Civil War. Norris's duties were to "repair, alter, and put up lanterns and lights on Cockspur Island...and to erect a suitable keeper's house." This first tower stood 25 feet above sea level. The beacon housed a fixed white light emanating from five lamps, with 14 inch reflectors visible for nine miles.
Tragedy struck in 1854 when a hurricane destroyed the structure. The tower was rebuilt and enlarged on the same foundation the following year. At the start of the American Civil War , the light was temporarily extinguished. On April 10, 1862, Union forces in eleven batteries stretching along the beach at Tybee Island, started a long range bombardment of Fort Pulaski . Thirty-six guns participated in a thirty-hour siege of the fort with the Cockspur Lighthouse in direct line of fire.
Following the surrender of Fort Pulaski on April 11, 1862, the little beacon only suffered minor damage. Theories abound as to how the tower escaped destruction. One theory suggests to effectively hit the Fort walls approximately 1,500 yards distant, Union artillerists had to fire shots at a high angle, thus passing over the tower. This strategy, coupled with the short duration of battle could explain why the tower survived. Soon after war's end, April 25, 1866, the beacon was relit and painted white for use as a daymark.
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cockspur Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 35° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:19 AM | 62° ENE | 8:33 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 118° ESE | 5:24 PM | 243° WSW | 35° | 10h 03m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 17m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 04m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 47m |
| June | 5:50 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 14m |
| July | 6:01 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 32m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 04m |
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 Cockspur Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° 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 | 4:53 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:04 AM – 6:04 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 5:29 AM | 3.5 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 4:48 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:32 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:09 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 1:08 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:54 PM – 11:04 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:14 PM – 9:04 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.51 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 75 | 78 | 81 | 90 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 91 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 20 | 25 | 29 | 40 | 52 | 63 | 69 | 68 | 55 | 39 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Tybee Light, 2.4 km (1.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cockspur Island Light, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cockspur Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Cockspur Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cockspur Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cockspur Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cockspur Island Light?
How far is Cockspur Island Light from Tybee Island?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, National Park Service, 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.