Located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, The Graves Light is a lighthouse. 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 7.7 km (4.8 mi) away (The Graves Light lies NNE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 34 m (112 ft). It dates from 1903. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Graves Light is a lighthouse located on The Graves, the outermost island of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, and 9 miles (14 km) offshore of downtown Boston, Massachusetts, USA. At 113 feet (34 m), it is the tallest lighthouse in the approaches to the Port of Boston, and is an important navigation aid for traffic to and from the port. It was built at the same time that the North Channel into Boston Harbor was dredged to become the principal entrance for large vessels. The Graves are the outermost rocks near the outer end of the North Channel. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Graves Light Station on September 28, 1987, reference number 87002041.From the Wikipedia article “The Graves Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At The Graves 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 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 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 04m |
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 | 7:54 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:07 PM | 9h 25m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:20 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 | 6:03 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 13h 22m |
| May | 4:51 AM | 5:23 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 35m |
| June | 4:32 AM | 5:07 AM | 5:50 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:57 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 | 5:51 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 55m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:23 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:28 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 | 7:17 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 | 4:12 PM | 4:44 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 The Graves 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 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 4:15 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 3:15 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 2:45 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:25 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 11:23 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:30 PM – 9:20 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: 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 ≈ 18.68 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.
- 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.
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 Boston Light, 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of The Graves Light, closest first.
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Beach
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State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph The Graves Light?
What time is golden hour at The Graves Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at The Graves Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from The Graves Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at The Graves Light?
How far is The Graves Light from Hull?
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.