Squirrel Point Light — a lighthouse in Sagadahoc County, Maine — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Phippsburg, about 1.1 km (0.7 mi) away (Squirrel Point Light lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 8 m (25 ft). It dates from 1898. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Squirrel Point Light is a lighthouse marking the southwestern point of Arrowsic Island on the Kennebec River. It was established in 1898, as part of a major upgrade of the river's lights — the Doubling Point Light and the separate Range Lights on the point, Perkins Island Light, and Squirrel Point Light were all built at the same time. The light station was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Squirrel Point Light Station on January 21, 1988.From the Wikipedia article “Squirrel Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Squirrel Point 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 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:43 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:58 AM | 56° NE | 8:26 PM | 305° NW | 70° | 15h 28m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:27 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 123° ESE | 4:05 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 54m |
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 | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:59 PM | 9h 17m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:39 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:07 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:27 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:36 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:53 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 4:41 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:56 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:21 AM | 4:57 AM | 5:41 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:24 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 5:13 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:26 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:03 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:18 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:15 PM | 4:46 PM | 9h 41m |
| December | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:16 PM | 4:03 PM | 4:36 PM | 8h 56m |
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 Squirrel Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:11 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:07 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:31 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 2:26 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 2.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:06 PM | 1.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:30 PM – 9:10 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.12 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 49% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (73%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 50 | 55 | 57 | 67 | 70 | 75 | 74 | 71 | 65 | 62 | 57 |
| Low °F | 2 | 8 | 9 | 25 | 37 | 45 | 54 | 56 | 50 | 39 | 19 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 6.7 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Phippsburg, 642 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Squirrel Point Light, closest first.
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When is the best time to photograph Squirrel Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Squirrel Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Squirrel Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Squirrel Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Squirrel Point Light?
How far is Squirrel Point Light from Phippsburg?
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.