Located in Lake County, Illinois, Waukegan Harbor Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 2.6 km (1.6 mi) E of Waukegan. Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (34 ft). It dates from 1889.
Waukegan Harbor Light is a lighthouse at the end of Government Pier at the foot of Madison Street in Waukegan, Illinois. It was first built in 1889 and moved when the pier was extended in the early twentieth century. At that time a fog signal building was added to the tower. There was a serious fire in 1967. While the cast iron tower was undamaged, the rest of the structure, the light, and the fog signal were destroyed. The lantern and the remains of the fog signal house were removed so that it now looks the same as it did before the pier was extended. It remains an active light, owned and maintained by the US Coast Guard.From the Wikipedia article “Waukegan Harbor Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Waukegan Harbor 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 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 57° ENE | 8:32 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 122° ESE | 4:22 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 04m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:20 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:33 PM | 8:02 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 4:55 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:25 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Waukegan Harbor Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:24 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:33 AM – 3:23 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:43 PM – 2:53 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 1:33 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 11:31 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:28 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.31 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Waukegan Harbor Light, closest first.
Sand Dunes
State Park
Lake
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Waukegan Harbor Light?
What time is golden hour at Waukegan Harbor Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Waukegan Harbor Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Waukegan Harbor Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Waukegan Harbor Light?
How far is Waukegan Harbor Light from Waukegan?
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.