St. Helena Island Light — a lighthouse in Mackinac County, Michigan — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It is part of nature reserve. The nearest town is Saint Ignace, about 10.6 km (6.6 mi) away (St. Helena Island Light lies W of town). Its recorded tower height is about 22 m (71 ft). It dates from 1873. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The buildings of the St Helena Light complex are the sole surviving structures on St. Helena Island, in Mackinac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lighthouse on the St. Helena Island's southeastern point was built in 1872-1873 and went into operation in September 1873. It became one of a series of lighthouses that guided vessels through the Straits of Mackinac, past a dangerous shoal that extends from the island.From the Wikipedia article “St. Helena Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At St. Helena 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) | 7:43 AM | 90° E | 7:52 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:50 AM | 54° NE | 9:34 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:27 AM | 89° E | 7:39 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:19 AM | 124° SE | 4:58 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 | 7:44 AM | 8:18 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:25 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:37 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 7:23 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:33 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:15 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:57 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:34 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 5:11 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:36 AM | 8:46 PM | 9:32 PM | 10:10 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:43 PM | 9:27 PM | 10:04 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:08 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:22 PM | 14h 10m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:58 AM | 7:13 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:37 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:25 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:26 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:40 AM | 8:15 AM | 9:05 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:56 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 St. Helena 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 | 5:44 AM – 6:04 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:45 AM – 4:55 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:46 AM – 3:46 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:11 AM – 3:01 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:52 PM – 1:52 AM | 2.0 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:46 PM – 11:46 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:34 PM – 9:44 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 ≈ 21.93 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
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of St. Helena Island Light, closest first.
Sand Dunes
LakeSand Dunes
Dark Sky Place
Lighthouse
State Park
Mountain Peak
LighthouseSand DunesCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Lake Michigan At St. Ignace16.8 km (10.4 mi) · reservable
- Brevoort Lake Campground18.9 km (11.7 mi) · reservable
- Carp River Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph St. Helena Island Light?
What time is golden hour at St. Helena Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at St. Helena Island Light?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at St. Helena Island Light?
How far is St. Helena Island Light from Saint Ignace?
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.