Bear Island Light — a lighthouse in Hancock County, Maine — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Acadia National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Tremont, about 7.3 km (4.5 mi) away (Bear Island Light lies ENE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (31 ft). It dates from 1839. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bear Island Light is a lighthouse on Bear Island near Mt. Desert Island, at the entrance to Northeast Harbor, Maine. It was first established in 1839. The present structure was built in 1889. It was deactivated in 1981 and relit as a private aid to navigation by the Friends of Acadia National Park in 1989. Bear Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Bear Island Light Station on March 14, 1988.From the Wikipedia article “Bear Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bear Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:37 AM | 90° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:50 AM | 55° NE | 8:21 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:33 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 123° ESE | 3:57 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 51m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:34 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:34 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:13 AM | 4:49 AM | 5:34 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 4:28 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:47 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:51 PM | 15h 12m |
| August | 5:06 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:44 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:15 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:08 PM | 4:39 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:08 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:29 PM | 8h 53m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Bear Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 2:59 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 11:02 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 21.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 53 | 51 | 72 | 73 | 81 | 88 | 89 | 93 | 94 | 79 | 64 | 60 |
| Low °F | -19 | -19 | -13 | 15 | 29 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 6 | -15 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Southwest Harbor, 3.6 km (2.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Bear Island Light, closest first.
WaterfallWaterfall
Fire Lookout
Lighthouse
Mountain Peak
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Lake
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Seawall Campground5.6 km (3.5 mi) · reservable
- Blackwoods Campground5.7 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Schoodic Woods Campground19.4 km (12.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bear Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Bear Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bear Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bear Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bear Island Light?
How far is Bear Island Light from Tremont?
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.