Point Betsie Light is a lighthouse in Benzie County, Michigan. The nearest town is Frankfort, about 6.6 km (4.1 mi) away (Point Betsie Light lies NNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft). It dates from 1858. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Point Betsie Light is located on the northeast shore of Lake Michigan — at the southern entrance to the Manitou Passage — north of Frankfort in Benzie County in Northern Michigan. Construction began in 1854, but it was not completed until 1858, and began service in the shipping season of 1859. The lighthouse cost $5,000 to build. In 1875, a life saving station was built for $3,000.From the Wikipedia article “Point Betsie Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Betsie 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) | 7:49 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:00 AM | 55° NE | 9:35 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 35m |
| 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 48m |
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 | 9:06 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:31 PM | 6:03 PM | 9h 11m |
| February | 7:16 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:28 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 | 7:01 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 | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 14h 49m |
| 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 15m |
| August | 6:16 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 | 8:41 AM | 6:22 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 01m |
| November | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:27 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:50 PM | 9h 36m |
| December | 7:43 AM | 8:16 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:39 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 Point Betsie 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 | 5:49 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 ≈ 21.87 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Point Betsie Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lake
Sand Dunes
Lighthouse
LakeCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Platte River Campground11.1 km (6.9 mi) · reservable
- White Pine Backcountry Campground Permits14.4 km (8.9 mi) · reservable
- D.H. Day Group Campground28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- D.H. Day Campground29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Betsie Light?
What time is golden hour at Point Betsie Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Betsie Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Betsie Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Betsie Light?
How far is Point Betsie 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.