Located in Camden County, Georgia, Little Cumberland Island Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Cumberland Island National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Saint Simons Island, about 19.8 km (12.3 mi) away (Little Cumberland Island Light lies SSW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 18 m (59 ft). It dates from 1838. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Little Cumberland Island Lighthouse is a privately owned lighthouse in Georgia, United States, on the north end of Little Cumberland Island adjacent to main Cumberland Island, in Camden County on the southeast coast of Georgia. When in service the light marked the entrance to St. Andrew Sound and the Satilla River. It also marked a shoal that extends about 6 nautical miles (11 km; 6.9 mi) south-southeasterly of the light.From the Wikipedia article “Little Cumberland Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Little Cumberland 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 82° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:23 AM | 62° ENE | 8:33 PM | 298° WNW | 82° | 14h 10m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 117° ESE | 5:29 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 08m |
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 | 5:11 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 21m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 06m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:09 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 56m |
| May | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 43m |
| June | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 09m |
| July | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 58m |
| August | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 17m |
| September | 6:46 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 | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 36m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 09m |
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 Little Cumberland 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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 | 1:59 AM – 5:29 AM | 3.5 | 30° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.0 | 30° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:40 AM | 6.5 | 30° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 3:17 AM | 5.2 | 30° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 1:17 AM | 3.7 | 30° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:15 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.4 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 Raccoon Key Spit, 5.9 km (3.7 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Little Cumberland Island Light, closest first.
Beach
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointBeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Little Cumberland Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Little Cumberland Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Little Cumberland Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Little Cumberland Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Little Cumberland Island Light?
How far is Little Cumberland Island Light from Saint Simons Island?
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.