Chapel Hill Rear Range Light — a lighthouse in Monmouth County, New Jersey — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Navesink, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Chapel Hill Rear Range Light lies W of town).
The Chapel Hill Rear Range Light is a lighthouse located off of Middletown Township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States, which functioned as the rear light of the now-discontinued Chapel Hill Range.From the Wikipedia article “Chapel Hill Rear Range Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Chapel Hill Rear Range Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:01 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:34 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:03 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:50 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 4:53 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:07 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:10 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:02 PM | 9h 18m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Chapel Hill Rear Range Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:33 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 3:38 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 3:14 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 1:55 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 11:48 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:48 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.27 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 67 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Atlantic Highlands, 3.0 km (1.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Chapel Hill Rear Range Light, closest first.
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Botanical Garden
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island22 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Chapel Hill Rear Range Light?
What time is golden hour at Chapel Hill Rear Range Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Chapel Hill Rear Range Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Chapel Hill Rear Range Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Chapel Hill Rear Range Light?
How far is Chapel Hill Rear Range Light from Navesink?
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.