Manning Memorial Light is a lighthouse in Leelanau County, Michigan. The nearest town is Frankfort, about 24 km (15 mi) away (Manning Memorial Light lies NNE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft). It dates from 1990.
The Manning Memorial Light, also known as the Robert H. Manning Memorial Lighthouse or Manning Light is a lighthouse located near Empire, Michigan. Mr. Manning was a longtime resident of Empire. Manning enjoyed fishing offshore, and often returned from these boat trips late at night. He often remarked to friends and relatives he wished a lighthouse was in the area to aid that navigation. After his death in 1989, friends and relatives raised funds to build the lighthouse as a memorial. The lighthouse was illuminated in 1990. It is the second newest lighthouse in Michigan—the newest being the Tri-Centennial Light of Detroit -- and one of three memorial lights in Michigan. Another is the William Livingstone Memorial Light.From the Wikipedia article “Manning Memorial Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Manning Memorial Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:48 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 55° NE | 9:35 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 36m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:32 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 123° ESE | 5:07 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 47m |
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 | 8:19 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:02 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:43 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:36 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 50m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:44 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 34m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 15m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:54 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:26 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:49 PM | 9h 35m |
| December | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:38 PM | 8h 49m |
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 Manning Memorial Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:48 AM – 6:08 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:46 AM – 5:06 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:43 AM – 4:03 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:02 AM – 3:22 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:47 PM – 2:07 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:46 PM – 12:06 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:37 PM – 10:07 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.87 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 71% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (88%). 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 | 45 | 46 | 64 | 65 | 74 | 78 | 85 | 84 | 80 | 75 | 62 | 55 |
| Low °F | 0 | -11 | -4 | 20 | 30 | 37 | 50 | 55 | 45 | 34 | 16 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.8 | 2.2 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 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
- 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.
- 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 Manning Memorial Light, closest first.
Sand Dunes
Lake
Sand DunesSand Dunes
Scenic Viewpoint
LakeSand Dunes
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits8.6 km (5.4 mi) · reservable
- D.H. Day Group Campground8.8 km (5.5 mi) · reservable
- D.H. Day Campground9.9 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- Platte River Campground12.0 km (7.4 mi) · reservable
- South Manitou Group Campground22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Manning Memorial Light?
What time is golden hour at Manning Memorial Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Manning Memorial Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Manning Memorial Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Manning Memorial Light?
How far is Manning Memorial Light from Frankfort?
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.