Nantucket Beacon is a lighthouse in Nantucket County, Massachusetts. It sits roughly 2.5 km (1.6 mi) ESE of Nantucket. It dates from 1794.
The Nantucket Beacon formed a range with the Brant Point Light to guide vessels into Nantucket harbor. Operated at various times in the 19th century, it was deactivated sometime after 1870. This range was eventually succeeded by the Nantucket Harbor Range Lights, which are still in operation.From the Wikipedia article “Nantucket Beacon”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Nantucket Beacon 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) | 6:45 AM | 90° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:08 AM | 57° ENE | 8:18 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:28 AM | 89° E | 6:39 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:03 AM | 121° ESE | 4:15 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:47 AM | 3:53 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:15 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:39 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 30m |
| June | 4:34 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:49 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:16 PM | 8:50 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 4:48 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:01 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:46 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:21 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 51m |
| September | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:29 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:10 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 53m |
| December | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:29 PM | 4:13 PM | 4:44 PM | 9h 13m |
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 Nantucket Beacon, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° 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 | 4:57 AM – 4:57 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:19 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:09 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 3:26 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:24 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:14 PM – 1:34 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:25 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 9:25 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:32 PM – 7:32 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SW → SW |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.07 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 50% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 56 | 54 | 62 | 72 | 76 | 87 | 89 | 86 | 81 | 76 | 67 | 63 |
| Low °F | 2 | 1 | 13 | 29 | 39 | 49 | 58 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 22 | 12 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is NANTUCKET, 2.3 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 Nantucket Beacon, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Nantucket Beacon?
What time is golden hour at Nantucket Beacon?
Where does the sun rise and set at Nantucket Beacon?
Can you see the Milky Way from Nantucket Beacon?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Nantucket Beacon?
How far is Nantucket Beacon from Nantucket?
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.