Great Beds Light is a lighthouse in Middlesex County, New Jersey. It sits roughly 2.5 km (1.6 mi) SSE of Perth Amboy. It dates from 1880. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Great Beds Light is a sparkplug lighthouse in Raritan Bay, about 1 mile (1.6 km) from South Amboy of Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States. Over the years the lighthouse has become the symbol for the city of South Amboy. Named as Great Beds Light Station, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 2008, for its significance in architecture, engineering, transportation, and maritime history.From the Wikipedia article “Great Beds Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Great Beds 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 303° (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 | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:27 AM | 58° ENE | 8:32 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 04m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:45 AM | 89° E | 6:56 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:18 AM | 121° ESE | 4:34 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 16m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:13 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 36m |
| February | 6:24 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:32 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:31 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:56 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 17m |
| May | 5:11 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 26m |
| June | 4:54 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:08 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 03m |
| July | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 47m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 48m |
| September | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 AM | 6:32 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:18 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:10 PM | 9h 57m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:03 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 Great Beds 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 | 5:14 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:25 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.7 | 21° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:26 PM – 1:56 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:51 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:49 PM – 7:49 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 ≈ 18.03 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is South Amboy, 2.5 km (1.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Great Beds Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
LighthouseLighthouse
Botanical Garden
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Sandy Hook22 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Great Beds Light?
What time is golden hour at Great Beds Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Great Beds Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Great Beds Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Great Beds Light?
How far is Great Beds Light from Perth Amboy?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.