North Breakwater Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Benzie County, Michigan at about 177 m (581 ft) above sea level. The nearest town is Frankfort, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (North Breakwater Lighthouse lies WSW of town).
Sunrise & sunset directions
At North Breakwater Lighthouse 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) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:57 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:01 AM | 55° NE | 9:35 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:20 AM | 123° ESE | 5:08 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 49m |
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 | 7:47 AM | 8:19 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 12m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:27 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:44 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 7:29 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:37 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:31 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:41 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 28m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:00 AM | 8:24 PM | 9:06 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 48m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:48 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 33m |
| July | 5:39 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 14m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 04m |
| September | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:31 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:40 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:40 PM | 8h 50m |
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 North Breakwater Lighthouse, 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 | 5:49 AM – 6:09 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 1.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:44 AM – 4:04 AM | 2.3 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:03 AM – 3:23 AM | 3.3 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:48 PM – 2:08 AM | 2.3 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:47 PM – 12:07 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:38 PM – 10:08 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 ≈ 21.86 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
- 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.
- 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 North Breakwater Lighthouse, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lake
Lake
Sand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Platte River Campground14.0 km (8.7 mi) · reservable
- White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits17.8 km (11.0 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph North Breakwater Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at North Breakwater Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at North Breakwater Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from North Breakwater Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at North Breakwater Lighthouse?
How far is North Breakwater Lighthouse from Frankfort?
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.