Pointe aux Barques Light is a lighthouse in Huron County, Michigan at about 179 m (587 ft) above sea level. It is part of Lighthouse County Park. It sits roughly 23 km (14 mi) NNW of Harbor Beach. Its recorded tower height is about 27 m (89 ft). It dates from 1848. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pointe aux Barques ( point-ə-BARKS) Lighthouse and Maritime Museum is an active lighthouse and adjoining museum located in Huron County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located along the shores of Lake Huron on the northeastern tip of the Thumb. The current structure, built in 1857, is one of the oldest active lighthouses in the state and the site now serves as an interpretive center for the lighthouse, the nearby United States Life-Saving Service station, and local maritime history. The name is translated as "point of little boats" from the French language, which refers to the shallow coastline that poses a threat to larger boats.From the Wikipedia article “Pointe aux Barques Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pointe aux Barques Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 56° NE | 9:18 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:04 AM | 123° ESE | 4:56 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:31 AM | 8:03 AM | 8:49 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:20 PM | 6:01 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:23 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:06 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:18 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:24 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:17 PM | 9:53 PM | 15h 28m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:46 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 10m |
| August | 6:04 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 7:17 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:26 AM | 6:10 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:06 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 8:47 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:28 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Pointe aux Barques Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:24 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:20 AM – 5:00 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:25 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:41 PM – 3:21 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:29 PM – 11:59 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:22 PM – 9:52 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 21.82 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 72% average cloud cover) and April as the cloudiest (87%). 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 | 48 | 45 | 52 | 56 | 67 | 73 | 80 | 80 | 75 | 72 | 59 | 55 |
| Low °F | 4 | -5 | 1 | 19 | 32 | 39 | 53 | 57 | 47 | 37 | 20 | 11 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 2.2 |
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
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Pointe aux Barques Light, closest first.
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State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pointe aux Barques Light?
What time is golden hour at Pointe aux Barques Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pointe aux Barques Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pointe aux Barques Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pointe aux Barques Light?
How far is Pointe aux Barques Light from Harbor Beach?
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.