Curtis Island Light — a lighthouse in Knox County, Maine — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) SE of Camden. Its recorded tower height is about 8 m (25 ft). It dates from 1835. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Curtis Island Light, originally Negro Island Light, is a lighthouse marking the approach to the harbor of Camden, Maine. It is on Curtis Island, which shelters the harbor from ocean storms. It was first established in 1835, and the present structure was built in 1896. The light was automated in 1972 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.From the Wikipedia article “Curtis Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Curtis Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (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) | 6:40 AM | 90° E | 6:49 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:53 AM | 56° NE | 8:24 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:24 AM | 89° E | 6:36 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 123° ESE | 4:01 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:25 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:35 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:11 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:23 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:30 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:16 AM | 4:53 AM | 5:37 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:59 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 4:32 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:54 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:09 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:14 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:18 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:23 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:01 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:16 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:42 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:11 PM | 3:59 PM | 4:32 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 Curtis 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 5 (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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:29 AM – 5:09 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 3:56 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:02 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:49 PM – 2:19 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:34 PM – 1:04 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 11:05 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 8:58 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.15 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 52% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (67%). 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 | 55 | 51 | 75 | 78 | 84 | 90 | 93 | 96 | 97 | 81 | 67 | 63 |
| Low °F | -28 | -27 | -21 | 13 | 27 | 36 | 47 | 45 | 33 | 22 | 3 | -22 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 5.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Rockland, 11.5 km (7.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Curtis Island Light, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Curtis Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Curtis Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Curtis Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Curtis Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Curtis Island Light?
How far is Curtis Island Light from Camden?
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.