Located in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, Minnesota Point Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Superior, about 6.1 km (3.8 mi) away (Minnesota Point Light lies ESE of town). Its recorded tower height is about 15 m (49 ft). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Minnesota Point Light was a historic lighthouse on Minnesota Point in Duluth, Minnesota, United States, on the shores of Lake Superior. Built in 1858, it was the first lighthouse in the state, but is now a truncated ruined tower. The ruin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 for its state-level significance in the theme of transportation. It was nominated for being the first high-powered lighthouse on Lake Superior, and the zero-point for all original surveys of the lake.From the Wikipedia article “Minnesota Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Minnesota Point 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 | 9:06 PM | 307° NW | 67° | 15h 51m |
| 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 33m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:47 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 58m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:04 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 | 6:21 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 35m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:12 PM | 15h 01m |
| June | 4:35 AM | 5:15 AM | 6:02 AM | 8:17 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 50m |
| July | 4:52 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:37 PM | 15h 29m |
| August | 5:34 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 13m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 35m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:53 PM | 10h 56m |
| November | 6:39 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 24m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:38 AM | 3:30 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:57 PM | 8h 35m |
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 Minnesota Point 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 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 | — | -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: 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 ≈ 20.01 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
- 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.
- 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 Minnesota Point Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Scenic Viewpoint
WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Minnesota Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Minnesota Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Minnesota Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Minnesota Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Minnesota Point Light?
How far is Minnesota Point Light from Superior?
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.