Passage Island Light is a lighthouse in Keweenaw County, Michigan at about 183 m (600 ft) above sea level. It lies in or next to Isle Royale National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Houghton, about 124 km (77 mi) away (Passage Island Light lies N of town). It dates from 1882. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Passage Island Light Station is a lighthouse located 3.25 mi (5.23 km) NE of Isle Royale, in NW Lake Superior, Michigan on Passage Island. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.From the Wikipedia article “Passage Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Passage Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 52° (NE) at the June solstice and 126° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 65° in summer but only 18° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:57 AM | 89° E | 8:06 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:54 AM | 52° NE | 9:58 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 05m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:41 AM | 89° E | 7:53 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:42 AM | 126° SE | 5:02 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 20m |
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 | 8:05 AM | 8:40 AM | 9:31 AM | 4:36 PM | 5:27 PM | 6:02 PM | 8h 47m |
| February | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:46 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:48 PM | 10h 14m |
| March | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:49 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:30 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 40m |
| May | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 12m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:42 AM | 9:07 PM | 9:56 PM | 10:38 PM | 16h 03m |
| July | 5:30 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:57 AM | 9:03 PM | 9:51 PM | 10:30 PM | 15h 41m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:26 PM | 9:09 PM | 9:44 PM | 14h 21m |
| September | 7:00 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:39 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:42 AM | 8:14 AM | 8:56 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:06 PM | 7:38 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 7:27 AM | 8:01 AM | 8:50 AM | 4:28 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 15m |
| December | 8:02 AM | 8:38 AM | 9:32 AM | 4:07 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:37 PM | 8h 22m |
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 Passage Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. May gives the longest window (about 1.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:34 AM – 3:44 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 1:19 AM – 2:19 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → S |
| July | 12:40 AM – 1:30 AM | 0.8 | 12° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:16 PM – 11:36 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 2.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 64% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (78%). August 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 | 38 | 42 | 58 | 63 | 74 | 78 | 85 | 84 | 81 | 72 | 59 | 44 |
| Low °F | -31 | -23 | -15 | 8 | 24 | 34 | 41 | 44 | 34 | 23 | 2 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.1 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 1.3 |
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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Passage Island Light, closest first.
Natural ArchNatural Arch
Lighthouse
Fire LookoutCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Merritt Lane Campground6.5 km (4.0 mi)
- Duncan Narrows Campground10.3 km (6.4 mi)
- Rock Harbor Campground12.7 km (7.9 mi)
- Duncan Bay Campground14.2 km (8.8 mi)
- Tookers Island Campground14.7 km (9.1 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Passage Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Passage Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Passage Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Passage Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Passage Island Light?
How far is Passage Island Light from Houghton?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.