Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse — a lighthouse in Alger County, Michigan at about 184 m (604 ft) above sea level — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 5.4 km (3.4 mi) NNE of Munising.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:50 AM | 90° E | 7:59 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 54° NE | 9:44 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:34 AM | 89° E | 7:46 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:28 AM | 124° SE | 5:03 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 35m |
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 | 7:53 AM | 8:27 AM | 9:15 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:26 PM | 6:00 PM | 9h 00m |
| February | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:34 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:12 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 21m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:40 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 34m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:14 PM | 9:49 PM | 15h 00m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:55 PM | 9:42 PM | 10:21 PM | 15h 48m |
| July | 5:32 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:55 AM | 8:51 PM | 9:37 PM | 10:14 PM | 15h 28m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 12m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:05 AM | 7:20 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:34 AM | 8:04 AM | 8:46 AM | 6:20 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 10h 57m |
| November | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 26m |
| December | 7:49 AM | 8:24 AM | 9:15 AM | 4:10 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 8h 36m |
Local time (America/Detroit), 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 Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 6:03 AM – 6:13 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 4:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 1.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| May | 2:00 AM – 3:50 AM | 1.8 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:30 AM – 3:00 AM | 2.5 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:08 AM – 1:48 AM | 1.7 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:58 PM – 11:48 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:43 PM – 9:43 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.93 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ 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 68% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (81%). 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 | 40 | 45 | 67 | 69 | 80 | 82 | 90 | 85 | 83 | 77 | 63 | 53 |
| Low °F | -12 | -17 | -12 | 10 | 28 | 33 | 41 | 45 | 35 | 25 | 8 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 3.0 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse, closest first.
Lighthouse
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Grand Island National Recreation Area3.4 km (2.1 mi) · reservable
- Grand Island Cabins5.8 km (3.6 mi) · reservable
- Bay Furnace Campground6.8 km (4.2 mi) · reservable
- Au Train Lake Campground18.0 km (11.2 mi) · reservable
- Hovey Lake Campsites19.5 km (12.1 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse?
How far is Grand Island Harbor Lighthouse from Munising?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.