Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights — a lighthouse in Erie County, New York — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Lackawanna, about 3.7 km (2.3 mi) away (Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights lies WNW of town).
Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights are lighthouses located at the entrance to Buffalo harbor in New York. The south light is at Stony Point breakwater (known also as the Buffalo Harbor South Entrance Light), and the North light was relocated. The lighthouses were established and lit in 1903, automated in 1935; the North light was deactivated in the 1980s. The South light is still operational. The foundation materials are dressed stone and timber for the south light and concrete pier on crib for the North light. The lighthouses were constructed out of cast iron boiler plate. The tower has a conical bottle shape. It is white, with a black lantern. The original lenses installed in 1903 were fourth (south) and sixth order (North) Fresnel lenses.From the Wikipedia article “Buffalo Harbor North and South Entrance Lights”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:38 AM | 56° ENE | 8:58 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:44 AM | 122° ESE | 4:45 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 01m |
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 | 7:13 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 23m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:04 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 19m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 8:11 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 02m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:51 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:24 PM | 9h 46m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 03m |
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 Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 4:49 AM | 1.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:00 AM – 3:50 AM | 2.8 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 3:12 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:51 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 11:57 PM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:03 PM – 9:53 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.5 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 56% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (85%). 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 | 59 | 64 | 75 | 78 | 89 | 92 | 94 | 93 | 93 | 85 | 72 | 65 |
| Low °F | -8 | -12 | -4 | 14 | 25 | 37 | 45 | 46 | 37 | 25 | 2 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights, closest first.
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WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights?
What time is golden hour at Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights?
How far is Buffalo Harbor North and South entrance Lights from Lackawanna?
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.