Cape Neddick Light — a lighthouse in York County, Maine — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) ESE of York Beach. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (41 ft). It dates from 1879. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cape Neddick Light is a lighthouse in Cape Neddick, York, Maine. In 1874 Congress appropriated $15,000 to build a light station at the "Nubble" and in 1879 construction began. Cape Neddick Light Station was dedicated by the U.S. Lighthouse Service and put into use in 1879. It is still in use today. Plans had been in the works to build a lighthouse on the site since 1837. The tower is lined with brick and sheathed with cast iron. It stands 41 feet (12 m) tall but the light is 88 feet (27 m) above sea level because of the additional height of the steep rocky islet on which it sits. Unusually, the stanchions of the walkway railing around the lantern room are decorated with 4-inch (100 mm) brass replicas of the lighthouse itself.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Neddick Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Neddick Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:03 AM | 56° NE | 8:26 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 122° ESE | 4:11 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 59m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:33 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:31 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 4:47 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 40m |
| June | 4:27 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:46 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:25 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 22m |
| July | 4:43 AM | 5:17 AM | 5:59 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:18 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:00 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:30 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:50 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:09 PM | 4:41 PM | 9h 00m |
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 Cape Neddick Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:11 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 2:34 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:11 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.46 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (66%). 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 | 60 | 61 | 73 | 85 | 83 | 89 | 90 | 95 | 94 | 79 | 68 | 62 |
| Low °F | -11 | -12 | -6 | 18 | 31 | 40 | 51 | 48 | 39 | 25 | 8 | -9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 5.4 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Cape Neddick, 238 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cape Neddick Light, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Neddick Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape Neddick Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Neddick Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Neddick Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Neddick Light?
How far is Cape Neddick Light from York Beach?
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.