Located in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, South Pass Range Lights is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Galliano, about 120 km (74 mi) away (South Pass Range Lights lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 35 m (115 ft). It dates from 1832.
The South Pass Light, also known as the Port Eads Lighthouse South Point Light, or Gordon's Island Light, are a pair of lighthouses located on Gordon's Island at South Pass, in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana (USA), one of the primary entrances to the Mississippi River Delta from the Gulf of Mexico. The light station was established in 1831 and is still active.From the Wikipedia article “South Pass Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Pass Range Lights the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 63° ENE | 7:59 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:46 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:47 AM | 117° ESE | 5:04 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 17m |
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 | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:47 PM | 10h 29m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:11 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 6:44 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 36m |
| June | 5:31 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 59m |
| July | 5:42 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 49m |
| August | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 12m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 5:56 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:29 PM | 10h 43m |
| December | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 18m |
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 South Pass Range Lights, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:17 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:25 AM – 5:45 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:16 AM – 5:06 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:21 PM – 4:31 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:33 PM – 4:23 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:31 PM – 2:51 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:53 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:53 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:47 PM – 8:47 PM | 1.0 | 20° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 82 | 88 | 90 | 91 | 93 | 91 | 85 | 82 | 74 |
| Low °F | 31 | 38 | 39 | 49 | 56 | 72 | 79 | 74 | 69 | 53 | 44 | 40 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Port Eads, South Pass, 676 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of South Pass Range Lights, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Pass Range Lights?
What time is golden hour at South Pass Range Lights?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Pass Range Lights?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Pass Range Lights?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Pass Range Lights?
How far is South Pass Range Lights from Galliano?
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.