Lovells Island Range Lights is a lighthouse in Suffolk County, Massachusetts. It lies in or next to Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Hull, about 3.9 km (2.4 mi) away (Lovells Island Range Lights lies NNW of town). It dates from 1903.
The Lovells Island Range Lights were range lights on Lovells Island in Boston Harbor, Massachusetts. They were built in 1903 to help vessels coming into what is now called "South Channel". As the North Channel was dredged deeper, the South Channel was less used and they were removed in 1939 to make room for the expansion of Fort Standish. The oil shed from the lights remains today. They were 400 feet (120 m) apart on a magnetic bearing of 228°, with a seven-foot walkway connecting them.From the Wikipedia article “Lovells Island Range Lights”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lovells Island Range Lights 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 | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 57° ENE | 8:25 PM | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:32 AM | 89° E | 6:43 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 122° ESE | 4:15 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 05m |
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 | 3:53 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 26m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:45 PM | 10h 35m |
| March | 6:29 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:33 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 16m |
| July | 4:47 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 59m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 55m |
| 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 | 6:32 PM | 11h 06m |
| November | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:23 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 48m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:27 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:45 PM | 9h 06m |
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 Lovells Island Range Lights, 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 | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:16 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 3:16 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 2:46 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:26 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:31 PM – 9:21 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.25 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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Deer Island (south end), 3.0 km (1.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lovells Island Range Lights, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Beach
Beach
Lighthouse
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lovells Island Range Lights?
What time is golden hour at Lovells Island Range Lights?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lovells Island Range Lights?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lovells Island Range Lights?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lovells Island Range Lights?
How far is Lovells Island Range Lights from Hull?
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.