Grosse Point Light is a lighthouse in Cook County, Illinois. It sits roughly 2.8 km (1.7 mi) NNE of Evanston. It dates from 1873. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The historic Grosse Point Light is located in Evanston, Illinois. Following several shipping disasters near Evanston, residents successfully lobbied the federal government for a lighthouse. Construction was completed in 1873. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 8, 1976. On 20 January 1999, the lighthouse was designated a National Historic Landmark. It is maintained under the jurisdiction of the Evanston Lighthouse Park District, an independent taxing authority.From the Wikipedia article “Grosse Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grosse Point Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 57° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 122° ESE | 4:23 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 06m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:03 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 08m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Grosse Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:32 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 11:40 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.04 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (85%). 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 | 50 | 54 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 83 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 75 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | -2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
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
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Grosse Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Beach
Lake
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grosse Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Grosse Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grosse Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grosse Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grosse Point Light?
How far is Grosse Point Light from Evanston?
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.