Located in Emmet County, Michigan, Grays Reef Light Station is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Saint Ignace, about 35 km (22 mi) away (Grays Reef Light Station lies WSW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 20 m (66 ft). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Grays Reef Light is a lighthouse located in northeastern Lake Michigan, 3.8 miles (6.1 km) west of Waugoshance Island in Bliss Township, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.From the Wikipedia article “Grays Reef Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Grays Reef Light Station 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 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:45 AM | 90° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 54° NE | 9:35 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:28 AM | 89° E | 7:40 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:19 AM | 124° SE | 4:59 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:45 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:06 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:26 AM | 5:25 PM | 6:07 PM | 6:38 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:25 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:34 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:24 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:35 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:35 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:11 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:28 PM | 10:05 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:38 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:26 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:11 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:32 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Grays Reef Light Station, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:46 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:47 AM – 4:57 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:48 AM – 3:48 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:13 AM – 3:03 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:54 PM – 1:54 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:48 PM – 11:48 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:36 PM – 9:46 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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 4.0+ 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 61% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 43 | 41 | 55 | 60 | 67 | 73 | 78 | 78 | 75 | 73 | 60 | 55 |
| Low °F | 1 | -10 | -3 | 15 | 31 | 37 | 49 | 54 | 44 | 35 | 18 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 2.8 | 2.5 |
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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Grays Reef Light Station, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
Ghost TownSand Dunes
State ParkSand Dunes
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Grays Reef Light Station?
What time is golden hour at Grays Reef Light Station?
Where does the sun rise and set at Grays Reef Light Station?
Can you see the Milky Way from Grays Reef Light Station?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Grays Reef Light Station?
How far is Grays Reef Light Station from Saint Ignace?
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.