Kailua Lighthouse — a lighthouse in Hawaii County, Hawaii — is a popular subject for landscape photographers.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Kailua Lighthouse 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) | 6:29 AM | 90° E | 6:36 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 65° ENE | 7:06 PM | 295° WNW | 86° | 13h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:14 AM | 89° E | 6:21 PM | 271° W | 71° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 115° ESE | 5:51 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 | 6:38 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 04m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:24 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 31m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:44 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 36m |
| May | 5:26 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:17 PM | 13h 04m |
| June | 5:22 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 13h 19m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 13h 12m |
| August | 5:43 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:16 PM | 12h 48m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 15m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:24 PM | 11h 42m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:04 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 12m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 57m |
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 Kailua Lighthouse, 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 41° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), 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 | — | 6° | — |
| February | 4:08 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.5 | 27° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.0 | 38° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 4.5 | 41° | SE → S |
| May | 10:13 PM – 4:23 AM | 6.2 | 41° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:29 PM – 4:19 AM | 7.8 | 41° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:29 PM – 2:49 AM | 6.3 | 41° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:11 PM – 12:51 AM | 4.7 | 41° | S → SW |
| September | 7:41 PM – 10:51 PM | 3.2 | 38° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:55 PM | 1.7 | 27° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (54%). August 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 | 81 | 80 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 85 | 85 | 85 | 83 | 81 |
| Low °F | 71 | 69 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 73 | 71 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.7 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Kailua Kona, 615 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Kailua Lighthouse, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Volcano
Volcano
State Park
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Kailua Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Kailua Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Kailua Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Kailua Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Kailua Lighthouse?
How far is Kailua Lighthouse from Kailua-Kona?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.