Round Island Light is a lighthouse in Mackinac County, Michigan at about 175 m (574 ft) above sea level. It is part of Hiawatha National Forest. The nearest town is Saint Ignace, about 9.1 km (5.7 mi) away (Round Island Light lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 17 m (56 ft). It dates from 1895. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Round Island Light, also known as the Old Round Island Point Lighthouse, is a lighthouse located on the west shore of Round Island in the shipping lanes of the Straits of Mackinac, which connect Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. It was deemed necessary because the island is a significant hazard to navigation in the straits, and was seen as an effective complement to the other lights in the area. Because of its color scheme and form — red stone base and wood tower — it has been likened to an old-fashioned schoolhouse. Ferries regularly pass it on their way to (and from) Mackinac Island, and it is a recognizable icon of the upper Great Lakes.From the Wikipedia article “Round Island Light (Straits of Mackinac)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Round 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 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:42 AM | 90° E | 7:51 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:49 AM | 54° NE | 9:33 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:26 AM | 89° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:18 AM | 124° SE | 4:57 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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 | 7:43 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:54 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:24 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:32 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:14 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:56 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:39 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:45 PM | 9:31 PM | 10:09 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:42 PM | 9:26 PM | 10:03 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 6:07 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:57 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:26 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:24 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:39 AM | 8:14 AM | 9:04 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Round 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:43 AM – 6:03 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:45 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:10 AM – 3:00 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:51 PM – 1:51 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:45 PM – 11:45 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:33 PM – 9:43 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 ≈ 21.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.0+ 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 61% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). July 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 | 44 | 55 | 75 | 74 | 82 | 85 | 91 | 88 | 86 | 82 | 69 | 58 |
| Low °F | -15 | -18 | -10 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 44 | 46 | 37 | 28 | 13 | -6 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
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.
- 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 Round Island Light, closest first.
Natural Arch
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Sand Dunes
LighthouseSand Dunes
LakeSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Round Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Round Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Round Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Round Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Round Island Light?
How far is Round Island Light from Saint Ignace?
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.