Located in Hancock County, Maine, Prospect Harbor Point Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Acadia National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 8.6 km (5.3 mi) SSE of Gouldsboro. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (38 ft). It dates from 1850. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Prospect Harbor Point Light is a lighthouse on Prospect Harbor Point, which divides Sand Cove from Inner Harbor at the head of Prospect Harbor on the southern shore of Gouldsboro, Maine. Also known as Prospect Harbor Light, it was first established in 1850. The present structure was built in 1891. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Prospect Harbor Light Station in 1988.From the Wikipedia article “Prospect Harbor Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Prospect Harbor Point 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) | 6:36 AM | 90° E | 6:44 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:48 AM | 55° NE | 8:21 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 32m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:20 AM | 89° E | 6:31 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:06 AM | 123° ESE | 3:56 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 | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 13m |
| February | 6:03 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 10h 28m |
| March | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:38 PM | 7:07 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 4:32 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:48 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:26 PM | 14h 47m |
| June | 4:11 AM | 4:48 AM | 5:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:56 PM | 15h 31m |
| July | 4:27 AM | 5:02 AM | 5:46 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:50 PM | 15h 13m |
| August | 5:04 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:11 PM | 14h 03m |
| September | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:50 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:14 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:19 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:13 AM | 3:22 PM | 4:06 PM | 4:38 PM | 9h 37m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:50 AM | 3:06 PM | 3:54 PM | 4:27 PM | 8h 52m |
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 Prospect Harbor Point 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 | 4:25 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 3:53 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:29 AM – 2:49 AM | 2.3 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:47 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 12:53 AM | 2.3 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 10:53 PM | 1.3 | 16° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 8:54 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 ≈ 21.87 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Prospect Harbor, 790 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Prospect Harbor Point Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Beach
Lighthouse
Scenic Viewpoint
Mountain Peak
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Schoodic Woods Campground5.0 km (3.1 mi) · reservable
- Blackwoods Campground18.7 km (11.6 mi) · reservable
- Seawall Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Prospect Harbor Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Prospect Harbor Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Prospect Harbor Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Prospect Harbor Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Prospect Harbor Point Light?
How far is Prospect Harbor Point Light from Gouldsboro?
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.