Buffalo Main Light — a lighthouse in Erie County, New York — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.3 km (0.8 mi) SW of Buffalo. Its recorded tower height is about 18 m (59 ft). It dates from 1833. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Buffalo (Main) Light is a lighthouse at the mouth of Buffalo River/Erie Canal, directly across from the Erie Basin Marina in Buffalo, New York.From the Wikipedia article “Buffalo Main Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Buffalo Main Light 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 | 8:59 PM | 304° NW | 71° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 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 | 8:29 AM | 4:23 PM | 5:07 PM | 5:38 PM | 9h 22m |
| 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 | 9:05 PM | 14h 38m |
| June | 5:02 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 20m |
| 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 45m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Main Light, 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 | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:03 AM – 3:43 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:15 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:04 PM – 1:54 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 9:55 PM | 0.8 | 14° | 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 ≈ 18.53 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Buffalo Main Light, closest first.
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WaterfallFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Buffalo Main Light?
What time is golden hour at Buffalo Main Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Buffalo Main Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Buffalo Main Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Buffalo Main Light?
How far is Buffalo Main Light from Buffalo?
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.