Rock Harbor Light is a lighthouse in Keweenaw County, Michigan at about 189 m (620 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 108 km (67 mi) away (Rock Harbor Light lies N of town). It dates from 1855. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Rock Harbor Lighthouse is a light station located in Rock Harbor on Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.From the Wikipedia article “Rock Harbor Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rock Harbor 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) | 7:58 AM | 89° E | 8:07 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:55 AM | 52° NE | 9:59 PM | 308° NW | 65° | 16h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:42 AM | 89° E | 7:54 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 13m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:43 AM | 126° SE | 5:04 PM | 235° SW | 18° | 8h 21m |
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 | 4:37 PM | 5:28 PM | 6:04 PM | 8h 48m |
| February | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:46 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:49 PM | 10h 15m |
| March | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 8:50 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:31 PM | 11h 51m |
| April | 6:33 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:44 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 39m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 11m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:43 AM | 9:08 PM | 9:57 PM | 10:38 PM | 16h 02m |
| July | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:58 AM | 9:04 PM | 9:51 PM | 10:30 PM | 15h 40m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:10 PM | 9:44 PM | 14h 20m |
| September | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:40 PM | 12h 37m |
| October | 7:43 AM | 8:14 AM | 8:57 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:39 PM | 10h 53m |
| November | 7:28 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:50 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 9h 16m |
| December | 8:02 AM | 8:39 AM | 9:32 AM | 4:08 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:38 PM | 8h 23m |
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 Rock Harbor Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through July. June gives the longest window (about 1.3 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 | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 4:30 AM – 5:00 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 2:32 AM – 3:42 AM | 1.2 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 1:11 AM – 2:31 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 12:37 AM – 1:37 AM | 1.0 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 11:15 PM – 11:35 PM | 0.3 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| 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 3.0+ 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Rock Harbor Light, closest first.
Natural Arch
Fire LookoutNatural Arch
Waterfall
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Caribou Island Campground793 m
- Daisy Farm Campground1.3 km (0.8 mi)
- Three Mile Campground5.3 km (3.3 mi)
- Moskey Basin Campground5.7 km (3.5 mi)
- Lane Cove Campground6.4 km (4.0 mi)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rock Harbor Light?
What time is golden hour at Rock Harbor Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Rock Harbor Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Rock Harbor Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Rock Harbor Light?
How far is Rock Harbor 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.