Libby Island Light — a lighthouse in Washington County, Maine — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Machiasport, about 14.7 km (9.1 mi) away (Libby Island Light lies S of town). Its recorded tower height is about 13 m (43 ft). It dates from 1822. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Libby Island Light is a lighthouse on Libby Island, marking the mouth of Machias Bay, in Machiasport, Maine. The light station was established in 1817 and is an active aid to navigation; the present granite tower was built in 1823 and improved in 1848. Libby Island Light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Libby Island Light Station on June 18, 1976.From the Wikipedia article “Libby Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Libby 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) | 6:34 AM | 90° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:45 AM | 55° NE | 8:19 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:17 AM | 89° E | 6:29 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 123° ESE | 3:53 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:12 AM | 4:17 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:22 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:16 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 4:29 AM | 5:03 AM | 5:45 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 4:08 AM | 4:45 AM | 5:29 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:54 PM | 15h 32m |
| July | 4:24 AM | 4:59 AM | 5:43 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:48 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 5:01 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 5:40 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:04 PM | 6:42 PM | 7:12 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:55 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:11 AM | 3:19 PM | 4:03 PM | 4:35 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:27 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:48 AM | 3:03 PM | 3:51 PM | 4:24 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 Libby 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 1 (excellent dark-sky 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 | 4:22 AM – 5:02 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 3:50 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 2:46 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 2:14 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:30 PM – 12:50 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 10:50 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 8:51 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 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 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (79%). August 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 | 54 | 51 | 59 | 59 | 69 | 76 | 76 | 78 | 78 | 70 | 63 | 57 |
| Low °F | -5 | -6 | 2 | 21 | 35 | 42 | 51 | 51 | 43 | 32 | 14 | 2 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.2 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.9 |
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 Stone Island, Machias Bay, 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Libby Island Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Libby Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Libby Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Libby Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Libby Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Libby Island Light?
How far is Libby Island Light from Machiasport?
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.