Mission Point Light — a lighthouse in Grand Traverse County, Michigan — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Elk Rapids, about 11.7 km (7.3 mi) away (Mission Point Light lies NNW of town). It dates from 1870. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mission Point Light is a lighthouse located in Michigan at the end of Old Mission Point, a peninsula jutting into Grand Traverse Bay 17 miles (27 km) north of Traverse City. It was built in 1870 as an exact copy of the Mama Juda Light (now destroyed), which was built on the Detroit River in 1866. The foundation is natural and emplaced. The wooden structure is painted white with black trim. The square tower is attached to a dwelling. A fixed white Fifth Order Fresnel lens was installed. The building was only one and a half stories tall. However, its placement on a sand bank 14 feet above the lake's surface created a lens focal plane of 47 feet (14 m). It was visible from 13 miles (21 km) at sea. It has been an ongoing struggle to maintain the dune and protect it and the lighthouse from erosion.From the Wikipedia article “Mission Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Mission Point 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 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:46 AM | 90° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 55° NE | 9:33 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:30 AM | 89° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 123° ESE | 5:04 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 8:17 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:27 PM | 5:59 PM | 9h 09m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:40 PM | 10h 26m |
| March | 7:26 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:34 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:17 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:27 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:58 PM | 13h 29m |
| May | 5:40 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:56 AM | 8:22 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 5:18 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:41 AM | 8:46 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:08 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:54 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 06m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:00 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:28 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:38 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:28 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:46 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:03 AM | 4:13 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Mission Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 | 5:46 AM – 6:06 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:45 AM – 5:05 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:43 AM – 3:53 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:04 AM – 3:14 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:48 PM – 1:58 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:45 PM – 11:55 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:36 PM – 9:56 PM | 0.3 | 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 July as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (82%). 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 | 48 | 61 | 79 | 77 | 84 | 89 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 85 | 72 | 61 |
| Low °F | -15 | -21 | -13 | 6 | 25 | 32 | 42 | 46 | 36 | 24 | 10 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.0 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Mission Point Light, closest first.
Sand DunesSand DunesSand Dunes
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkSand Dunes
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Mission Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Mission Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Mission Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Mission Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Mission Point Light?
How far is Mission Point Light from Elk Rapids?
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.