Located in Harrison County, Mississippi, Ship Island Light is a lighthouse. It lies in or next to Gulf Islands National Seashore, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 21 km (13 mi) SE of Gulfport. Its recorded tower height is about 24 m (79 ft). It dates from 1892.
Ship Island Light was a lighthouse in Mississippi near Gulfport.From the Wikipedia article “Ship Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ship Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 62° ENE | 8:01 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:49 AM | 117° ESE | 5:01 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
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 | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:09 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:02 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:48 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:37 AM | 6:03 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:27 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 5:57 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:19 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 13m |
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 Ship Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:24 AM – 5:44 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:24 PM – 4:24 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:37 PM – 4:17 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:34 PM – 2:44 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:45 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:44 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:46 PM – 8:46 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.09 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 74 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 95 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 21 | 28 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 56 | 42 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Ship Island, Mississippi Sound, 542 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ship Island Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ship Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Ship Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ship Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ship Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ship Island Light?
How far is Ship Island Light from Gulfport?
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.