Eagle Island Light — a lighthouse in Hancock County, Maine — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Deer Isle, about 7.2 km (4.5 mi) away (Eagle Island Light lies W of town). Its recorded tower height is about 9 m (30 ft). It dates from 1838.
Eagle Island Light is a lighthouse on Eagle Island in Penobscot Bay, in south central Maine. The tower was first lit in 1838 but had to be torn down because of major physical defects. It was rebuilt in 1858 and operated by several families over the next century. In 1959 the light was automated, and five years later, over vehement local protests, the keeper's house was torn down and the bell was removed. The crew that removed the bell lost control of it, and it fell into the Bay. A Lobsterman salvaged it some years later and it is on exhibit on Great Spruce Head Island. Today Eagle Light is owned by a nonprofit which provides public access and has restored both the light itself and the square pyramidal bell tower. Along with several other lights in Maine, the growth of trees around the light has made its future problematic.From the Wikipedia article “Eagle Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Eagle 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) | 6:39 AM | 90° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:52 AM | 55° NE | 8:23 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:23 AM | 89° E | 6:35 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 123° ESE | 4:00 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 | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:54 PM | 9h 14m |
| February | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:34 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:03 PM | 6:41 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:22 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:31 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:36 AM | 5:09 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:15 AM | 4:52 AM | 5:36 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 30m |
| July | 4:31 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:52 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:08 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:13 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:46 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:17 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:22 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:15 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:41 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:10 PM | 3:58 PM | 4:31 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 Eagle 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 | 4:28 AM – 5:08 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:25 AM – 3:55 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:48 PM – 2:18 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 1:03 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:04 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:27 PM – 8:57 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 ≈ 21.8 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.
- 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 Little Deer Isle, 10.1 km (6.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Eagle Island Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Waterfall
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Eagle Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Eagle Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Eagle Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Eagle Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Eagle Island Light?
How far is Eagle Island Light from Deer Isle?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.