Mahukona Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Hawaii County, Hawaii. The nearest town is Hāwī, about 9.8 km (6.1 mi) away (Mahukona Lighthouse lies SW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 22 m (72 ft). It dates from 1915.
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse built 1915”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mahukona 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 87° in summer but only 46° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:28 AM | 90° E | 6:35 PM | 270° W | 70° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 65° ENE | 7:07 PM | 295° WNW | 87° | 13h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:13 AM | 89° E | 6:21 PM | 271° W | 70° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 115° ESE | 5:50 PM | 245° WSW | 46° | 10h 54m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 03m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 30m |
| March | 6:11 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:05 PM | 6:34 PM | 6:56 PM | 12h 01m |
| April | 5:43 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:35 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:05 PM | 12h 37m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:17 PM | 13h 06m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:30 PM | 13h 21m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 13h 14m |
| August | 5:41 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 49m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:50 PM | 12h 16m |
| October | 5:57 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:49 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 42m |
| November | 6:10 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:08 PM | 11h 11m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 55m |
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 Mahukona 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| 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 | 2:18 AM – 5:18 AM | 3.0 | 37° | SE → SSE |
| April | 12:19 AM – 4:49 AM | 4.5 | 41° | SE → S |
| May | 10:15 PM – 4:25 AM | 6.2 | 41° | SE → SSW |
| June | 8:30 PM – 4:20 AM | 7.8 | 41° | SE → SW |
| July | 8:30 PM – 2:50 AM | 6.3 | 41° | SSE → SW |
| August | 8:12 PM – 12:52 AM | 4.7 | 41° | S → SW |
| September | 7:42 PM – 10:52 PM | 3.2 | 38° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:15 PM – 8:45 PM | 1.5 | 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.86 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show January as the clearest month (about 57% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 79 | 80 | 80 | 79 | 80 | 81 | 83 | 83 | 85 | 84 | 82 | 81 |
| Low °F | 66 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 70 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 74 | 73 | 72 | 70 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.8 |
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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Mahukona, 722 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Mahukona Lighthouse, closest first.
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BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mahukona Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Mahukona Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mahukona Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mahukona Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mahukona Lighthouse?
How far is Mahukona Lighthouse from Hāwī?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.