New Canal Light is a lighthouse in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. It sits roughly 6.1 km (3.8 mi) NE of Metairie. Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (33 ft). It dates from 1838. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The New Canal Light or (more commonly New Canal Lighthouse or New Basin Canal Lighthouse) was first established in 1838 at the north end of the New Basin Canal which ran from Lake Pontchartrain to the Uptown or "American" section of the city which today is known as the New Orleans Central Business District. The canal was filled in about 1950, but the lighthouse remained on a jetty extending into the lake on a half mile long stretch of the canal that was left and is still used as a small boat and yachting harbor.From the Wikipedia article “New Canal Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At New Canal Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:05 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 62° ENE | 8:05 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:53 AM | 117° ESE | 5:06 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 13m |
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 | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:14 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:09 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 04m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 54m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 14m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:31 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 39m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 13m |
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 New Canal Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:20 AM – 5:10 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:31 AM – 5:01 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:28 PM – 4:28 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:40 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:37 PM – 2:57 AM | 5.3 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:09 PM – 12:49 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:47 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:50 PM – 8:50 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.52 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). July 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 | 79 | 82 | 87 | 97 | 100 | 105 | 105 | 107 | 102 | 98 | 87 | 81 |
| Low °F | 18 | 23 | 22 | 36 | 41 | 58 | 64 | 57 | 49 | 34 | 22 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.7 | 5.1 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 6.8 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 4.8 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 5.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 New Canal USCG station, Lake Pontchartrain, 19 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of New Canal Light, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Natural Arch
State Park
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph New Canal Light?
What time is golden hour at New Canal Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at New Canal Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from New Canal Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at New Canal Light?
How far is New Canal Light from Metairie?
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.