Pipe Island Light is a lighthouse in Chippewa County, Michigan. The nearest town is Sault Ste. Marie, about 63 km (39 mi) away (Pipe Island Light lies SSE of town). It dates from 1888.
Pipe Island Light is a privately owned lighthouse on Pipe Island in St. Mary's River, Michigan. It was lit in 1888 by the Lake Carriers Association to help ships entering St. Mary's River from Lake Huron. In 2005 three cottages and the Victorian keeper's dwelling were made available for overnight stays.From the Wikipedia article “Pipe Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pipe Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 54° NE | 9:31 PM | 306° NW | 67° | 15h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:23 AM | 89° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:15 AM | 124° SE | 4:53 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 38m |
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 | 7:41 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:02 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 03m |
| February | 7:09 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:22 AM | 5:20 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:20 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:29 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:19 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:01 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 57m |
| June | 5:06 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:29 PM | 10:07 PM | 15h 44m |
| July | 5:23 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:24 PM | 10:01 PM | 15h 24m |
| August | 6:03 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:19 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:34 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:21 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 28m |
| December | 7:37 AM | 8:12 AM | 9:02 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:26 PM | 8h 40m |
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 Pipe Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:52 AM – 6:02 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:43 AM – 4:53 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:11 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:52 PM – 1:42 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:45 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:32 PM – 9:42 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ 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 54% average cloud cover) and November as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 39 | 36 | 73 | 72 | 83 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 83 | 77 | 64 | 55 |
| Low °F | -34 | -33 | -30 | 0 | 23 | 34 | 40 | 41 | 32 | 17 | -11 | -31 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 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
- 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 Pipe Island Light, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pipe Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Pipe Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pipe Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pipe Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pipe Island Light?
How far is Pipe Island Light from Sault Ste. Marie?
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.