Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light is a lighthouse in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. It sits roughly 1.5 km (0.9 mi) ESE of Duluth. Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (34 ft). It dates from 1874. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light is a lighthouse on the south breakwater of the Duluth Ship Canal in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. It forms a range with the Duluth South Breakwater Inner Light to guide ships into the canal from Lake Superior.From the Wikipedia article “Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 307° (NW) in June to 236° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 67° in summer but only 20° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:12 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:15 AM | 54° NE | 9:07 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:56 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:51 AM | 125° SE | 4:23 PM | 236° SW | 20° | 8h 32m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 57m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 20m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:44 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:16 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 02m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:02 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 50m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:14 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 30m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 14m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 24m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:39 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 34m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:28 AM – 4:18 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:34 AM – 3:14 AM | 1.7 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:56 PM – 2:16 AM | 2.3 | 14° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:33 PM – 1:13 AM | 1.7 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:21 PM – 11:11 PM | 0.8 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:06 PM | 0.0 | 10° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.48 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 3.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 42 | 50 | 75 | 80 | 88 | 94 | 103 | 96 | 92 | 82 | 69 | 52 |
| Low °F | -41 | -30 | -34 | 5 | 24 | 36 | 43 | 42 | 28 | 12 | -8 | -32 |
| Precip. (in) | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.6 | 2.9 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light, closest first.
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Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light?
What time is golden hour at Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light?
How far is Duluth South Breakwater Outer Light from Duluth?
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.