Located in Mason County, Michigan, Ludington Light is a lighthouse. It sits roughly 1.4 km (0.9 mi) W of Ludington. Its recorded tower height is about 17 m (56 ft). It dates from 1871. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Ludington Light is a 57-foot (17 m) tall steel-plated lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, which lies along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan, at the end of the breakwater on the Pere Marquette Harbor. Given its location on the northern breakwater where the Pere Marquette River meets Lake Michigan, it is sometimes known as the Ludington North Breakwater Light. Underlying the building itself is a prow-like structure, which is designed to break waves.From the Wikipedia article “Ludington Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ludington Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:50 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:04 AM | 56° NE | 9:33 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:34 AM | 89° E | 7:45 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 123° ESE | 5:11 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:46 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:03 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:45 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 7:59 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:48 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:47 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:07 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:43 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:44 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:02 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 6:19 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:32 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:40 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 7:10 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:41 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:02 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:42 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Ludington Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:39 AM – 6:19 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:35 AM – 5:15 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:40 AM – 4:10 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:42 PM – 2:12 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.06 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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 64% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (85%). July 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 | 50 | 53 | 71 | 69 | 81 | 85 | 91 | 88 | 85 | 78 | 66 | 58 |
| Low °F | -6 | -12 | -9 | 17 | 27 | 36 | 48 | 49 | 41 | 29 | 15 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.5 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 3.0 | 2.6 |
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
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- 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.
- 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 Ludington Light, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
Wilderness Area
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ludington Light?
What time is golden hour at Ludington Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ludington Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ludington Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ludington Light?
How far is Ludington Light from Ludington?
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.