Chatham Light is a lighthouse in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The nearest town is Chatham, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (Chatham Light lies SSE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 14 m (48 ft). It dates from 1808. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Chatham Lighthouse, known as Twin Lights prior to 1923, is a lighthouse in Chatham, Massachusetts, near the "elbow" of Cape Cod. The original station, close to the shore, was built in 1808 with two wooden towers, which were both replaced in 1841. In 1877, two new towers, made of cast iron rings, replaced those. One of the towers was moved to the Eastham area, where it became known as Nauset Light in 1923.From the Wikipedia article “Chatham Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chatham Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:44 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:06 AM | 57° ENE | 8:18 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 12m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 121° ESE | 4:13 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 09m |
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 | 6:34 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:48 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:25 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:49 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:25 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:32 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:48 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:17 PM | 8:51 PM | 15h 11m |
| July | 4:46 AM | 5:19 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 5:53 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:22 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:11 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:11 PM | 4:43 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Chatham Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:09 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:11 AM – 4:11 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:19 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:28 PM – 2:48 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:18 PM – 1:28 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 11:28 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:26 PM – 9:26 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.84 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 56% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (76%). 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 | 55 | 55 | 52 | 56 | 61 | 69 | 73 | 74 | 73 | 68 | 66 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 11 | 17 | 33 | 40 | 48 | 56 | 60 | 55 | 43 | 27 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 5.5 |
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.
- 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 Chatham, Stage Harbor, 1.5 km (0.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chatham Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
State Park
Lighthouse
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Lighthouse
Beach
BeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Le Count Beach House28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Sunrise House28 km (18 mi) · reservable
- Ocean View House29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chatham Light?
What time is golden hour at Chatham Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chatham Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chatham Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chatham Light?
How far is Chatham Light from Chatham?
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.