Located in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Greenbury Point Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Naval Academy, about 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away (Greenbury Point Light lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 39 m (128 ft).
Greenbury Point Light was the name of two lighthouses in the Chesapeake Bay, both located at the mouth of the Severn River in Annapolis, Maryland.From the Wikipedia article “Greenbury Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Greenbury 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 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° 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) | 5:41 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 54m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:54 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 26m |
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 | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:22 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:43 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Greenbury Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 5:13 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:12 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:47 PM – 10:07 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:58 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.2 | 12° | 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.62 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Annapolis (US Naval Academy), 2.4 km (1.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Greenbury Point Light, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Greenbury Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Greenbury Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Greenbury Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Greenbury Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Greenbury Point Light?
How far is Greenbury Point Light from Naval Academy?
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.