Lehua Rock Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Kauai County, Hawaii. The nearest town is Kekaha, about 40 km (25 mi) away (Lehua Rock Lighthouse lies W of town). Its recorded tower height is about 6 m (20 ft).
The Lehua Rock Light is a lighthouse beacon located on Kaunuakalā, the summit of Lehua Island in Hawaii. Built in 1931 at an elevation of 704 ft above sea level, it is the highest lighted ocean navigation beacon in the world.From the Wikipedia article “Lehua Rock Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lehua Rock Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 115° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 89° in summer but only 45° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 270° W | 68° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 64° ENE | 7:27 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:38 PM | 271° W | 68° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 115° ESE | 6:03 PM | 245° WSW | 45° | 10h 47m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:42 PM | 10h 56m |
| February | 6:50 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:01 PM | 11h 26m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:13 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 40m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:33 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:37 PM | 13h 11m |
| June | 5:33 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 28m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 13h 21m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:36 PM | 12h 54m |
| September | 6:06 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:07 PM | 12h 17m |
| October | 6:15 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 39m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:27 PM | 5:59 PM | 6:22 PM | 11h 05m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 48m |
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 Lehua Rock Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 39° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.3 | 25° | SE → SE |
| March | 2:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 2.8 | 36° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:37 AM – 4:57 AM | 4.3 | 39° | SE → S |
| May | 10:35 PM – 4:35 AM | 6.0 | 39° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:51 PM – 4:31 AM | 7.7 | 39° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:51 PM – 3:01 AM | 6.2 | 39° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:31 PM – 1:01 AM | 4.5 | 39° | S → SW |
| September | 7:59 PM – 10:59 PM | 3.0 | 36° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | 1.5 | 26° | 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.9 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 77 | 77 | 78 | 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 83 | 82 | 80 |
| Low °F | 67 | 66 | 66 | 69 | 71 | 75 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 71 | 71 | 65 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Nonopapa, Niihau Island, 22 km (14 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lehua Rock Lighthouse, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lehua Rock Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Lehua Rock Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lehua Rock Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lehua Rock Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lehua Rock Lighthouse?
How far is Lehua Rock Lighthouse from Kekaha?
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.