Located in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, Pass Manchac Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) SE of Ponchatoula. Its recorded tower height is about 40 m (131 ft). It dates from 1837. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pass Manchac Light was a historic lighthouse in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana, which was originally established in 1838, to mark the north side of the entrance to Pass Manchac, the channel between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. The fourth and last tower on this particular site was constructed in 1857 and was in service for 130 years. The first three had been built in 1838, 1842, and 1846, in each case requiring replacement due to poor construction and/or encroaching lake waters.From the Wikipedia article “Pass Manchac Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pass Manchac 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 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 62° ENE | 8:07 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:54 AM | 117° ESE | 5:06 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
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 | 6:33 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:34 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:18 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:15 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:48 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:44 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:10 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:42 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:15 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:18 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:31 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 12m |
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 Pass Manchac 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:29 AM – 5:49 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:32 AM – 5:02 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:29 PM – 4:29 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 4:22 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:39 PM – 2:49 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:50 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:29 PM – 10:49 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:51 PM – 8:51 PM | 1.0 | 19° | 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.04 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.
- 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 Tchefuncta River, Lake Pontchartrain, 16.1 km (10.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pass Manchac Light, closest first.
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LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pass Manchac Light?
What time is golden hour at Pass Manchac Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pass Manchac Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pass Manchac Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pass Manchac Light?
How far is Pass Manchac Light from Ponchatoula?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.