Located in Hancock County, Maine, Crabtree Ledge Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Acadia National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 5.7 km (3.5 mi) SSW of Sullivan. It dates from 1890.
Crabtree Ledge Light was a sparkplug lighthouse on Frenchman Bay, Maine. It was first established in 1890 and deactivated in 1933. It was a brown conical tower on a black cylindrical pier located on Crabtree Ledge, about one mile off Crabtree Neck at the north end of Frenchman Bay. Crabtree is named after the American privateer Captain Agreen Crabtree, the first settler of Hancock.From the Wikipedia article “Crabtree Ledge Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Crabtree Ledge 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 | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:49 AM | 55° NE | 8:22 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:21 AM | 89° E | 6:32 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:07 AM | 123° ESE | 3:57 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 50m |
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 | 7:07 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:04 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:21 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:32 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:01 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:33 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:48 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:12 AM | 4:48 AM | 5:33 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:57 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 4:27 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:46 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:51 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:05 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:12 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 5:43 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 | 5:50 PM | 6:20 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:14 AM | 3:23 PM | 4:07 PM | 4:38 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:07 PM | 3:55 PM | 4:28 PM | 8h 51m |
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 Crabtree Ledge 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 3:54 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 2:50 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 12:54 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 10:54 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 8:55 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.74 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
- 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.
- 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.
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 BAR HARBOR, 8.9 km (5.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Crabtree Ledge Light, closest first.
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Mountain PeakScenic Viewpoint
Lighthouse
Beach
Scenic ViewpointWaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Schoodic Woods Campground15.7 km (9.8 mi) · reservable
- Blackwoods Campground18.1 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Seawall Campground27 km (17 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Crabtree Ledge Light?
What time is golden hour at Crabtree Ledge Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Crabtree Ledge Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Crabtree Ledge Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Crabtree Ledge Light?
How far is Crabtree Ledge Light from Sullivan?
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.