Sand Point Light — a lighthouse in Delta County, Michigan — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.6 km (1.0 mi) E of Escanaba. Its recorded tower height is about 13 m (43 ft). It dates from 1867. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Sand Point Lighthouse is located in Escanaba, Michigan, United States, on Lake Michigan's northern shore. Since 1989, it has been an unofficial aid to navigation. Though it is an operational aid to navigation, the restored lighthouse is now open to the public during the summer months. It is also known as the Escanaba/Sand Point (Little Bay de Noc) Light or the Escanaba Light. This Sand Point Light is one of two bearing that name in Michigan. The other is in Baraga.From the Wikipedia article “Sand Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Sand Point 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) | 7:52 AM | 90° E | 8:01 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:59 AM | 54° NE | 9:42 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 43m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:36 AM | 89° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:27 AM | 124° SE | 5:07 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 40m |
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 | 7:53 AM | 8:26 AM | 9:13 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:30 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:33 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:46 PM | 10h 24m |
| March | 7:32 AM | 8:02 AM | 8:41 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:24 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:06 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:43 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:30 PM | 9:13 PM | 9:48 PM | 14h 55m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:45 AM | 8:54 PM | 9:40 PM | 10:18 PM | 15h 42m |
| July | 5:37 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:58 AM | 8:51 PM | 9:36 PM | 10:12 PM | 15h 22m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:17 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:35 AM | 8:05 AM | 8:46 AM | 6:23 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:34 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:51 PM | 9h 30m |
| December | 7:49 AM | 8:23 AM | 9:13 AM | 4:15 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:40 PM | 8h 42m |
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 Sand Point 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 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:53 AM – 6:13 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:54 AM – 5:04 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:55 AM – 3:55 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:20 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 12:01 AM – 2:01 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:55 PM – 11:55 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:43 PM – 9:53 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.74 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 November as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 45 | 53 | 73 | 75 | 83 | 87 | 93 | 95 | 88 | 80 | 67 | 57 |
| Low °F | -26 | -19 | -16 | 2 | 26 | 36 | 47 | 44 | 34 | 24 | 2 | -14 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 2.0 |
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
- 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.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Sand Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Sand DunesSand DunesSand DunesSand Dunes
Lighthouse
WaterfallSand Dunes
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Sand Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Sand Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Sand Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Sand Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Sand Point Light?
How far is Sand Point Light from Escanaba?
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.