Derby Wharf Light is a lighthouse in Essex County, Massachusetts. It lies in or next to Salem Maritime National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Salem, about 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away (Derby Wharf Light lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 4 m (13 ft). It dates from 1871. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Derby Wharf Light Station is a historic lighthouse on Derby Wharf in Salem, Massachusetts that is within the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. It was built in 1871 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The United States Coast Guard Light List description is "White square tower. Maintained by the U.S. Park Service". The actual light is 25 feet (7.6 m) above Mean High Water. Its red light is visible for 4 nautical miles (7.4 km; 4.6 mi).From the Wikipedia article “Derby Wharf Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Derby Wharf Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (WNW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:48 AM | 90° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:07 AM | 57° ENE | 8:25 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 18m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:11 AM | 122° ESE | 4:14 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 03m |
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 | 6:40 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 24m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 34m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:50 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 36m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:06 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 17m |
| July | 4:46 AM | 5:20 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:54 PM | 15h 00m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 56m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:18 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 47m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:53 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:12 PM | 4:44 PM | 9h 05m |
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 Derby Wharf Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 8 (city 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:15 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:17 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 3:18 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 2:49 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:28 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:35 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.06 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (70%). August 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 | 58 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 77 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 8 | 27 | 37 | 46 | 55 | 56 | 49 | 36 | 18 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Salem, Salem Harbor, 938 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Derby Wharf Light, closest first.
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State Park
State Park
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Derby Wharf Light?
What time is golden hour at Derby Wharf Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Derby Wharf Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Derby Wharf Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Derby Wharf Light?
How far is Derby Wharf Light from Salem?
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.