Located in Hawaii County, Hawaii, Cape Kumukahi Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Nanawale Estates, about 10.6 km (6.6 mi) away (Cape Kumukahi Light lies E of town). Its recorded tower height is about 38 m (125 ft). It dates from 1929.
The Cape Kumukahi Light is a lighthouse in Kapoho, Hawaii at the easternmost point of Hawaii. It is best known for its survival of an eruption of Kilauea in 1960.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Kumukahi Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Kumukahi Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 65° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 295° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 47° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:24 AM | 90° E | 6:31 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 65° ENE | 7:01 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:09 AM | 89° E | 6:17 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:50 AM | 115° ESE | 5:47 PM | 245° WSW | 47° | 10h 57m |
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 | 6:33 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:30 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:25 PM | 11h 05m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 6:42 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:06 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:52 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:40 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:00 PM | 12h 35m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:12 PM | 13h 03m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 13h 18m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 13h 12m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:11 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:37 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:45 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:52 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:44 AM | 5:27 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 43m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:59 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:04 PM | 11h 13m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 58m |
Local time (Pacific/Honolulu), 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 Cape Kumukahi Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 42° 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 | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:04 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:12 AM – 5:12 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:12 AM – 4:42 AM | 4.5 | 42° | SE → S |
| May | 10:08 PM – 4:18 AM | 6.2 | 42° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:23 PM – 4:13 AM | 7.8 | 42° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:23 PM – 2:43 AM | 6.3 | 42° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:05 PM – 12:45 AM | 4.7 | 42° | S → SW |
| September | 7:36 PM – 10:46 PM | 3.2 | 39° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:10 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.7 | 28° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.69 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (61%). September is the warmest month and February 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 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 78 | 79 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 83 | 82 | 82 | 79 |
| Low °F | 69 | 69 | 67 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 72 | 71 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Cape Kumukahi Light, closest first.
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CaveFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Kumukahi Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape Kumukahi Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Kumukahi Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Kumukahi Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Kumukahi Light?
How far is Cape Kumukahi Light from Nanawale Estates?
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.