Cove Point Light is a lighthouse in Calvert County, Maryland. It sits roughly 5.2 km (3.2 mi) NE of Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point. Its recorded tower height is about 16 m (52 ft). It dates from 1828. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cove Point Light is a lighthouse located on the west side of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County, Maryland.From the Wikipedia article “Cove Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cove Point Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 75° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:10 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:43 AM | 59° ENE | 8:33 PM | 301° WNW | 75° | 14h 51m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 120° ESE | 4:49 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 29m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 47m |
| February | 6:30 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:07 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 47m |
| March | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 12m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 15m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 50m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 35m |
| August | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 40m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:42 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 14m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 06m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 30m |
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 Cove Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:40 AM | 5.2 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:13 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 10:16 PM | 1.5 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:57 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.05 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.5+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 71 | 70 | 76 | 89 | 92 | 96 | 101 | 100 | 94 | 93 | 75 | 72 |
| Low °F | 7 | 4 | 14 | 29 | 38 | 50 | 60 | 60 | 49 | 36 | 24 | 15 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.7 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Cove Point, 1.6 km (1.0 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cove Point Light, closest first.
Beach
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
State Park
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Pax River Hog Point Campgrounds8.9 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- Pax River Paradise Grove Campgrounds9.0 km (5.6 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cove Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Cove Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cove Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cove Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cove Point Light?
How far is Cove Point Light from Chesapeake Ranch Estates-Drum Point?
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.