Cape Vincent Light is a lighthouse in Jefferson County, New York. It sits roughly 24 km (15 mi) SW of Clayton. It dates from 1901.
Cape Vincent Breakwater Light was a lighthouse on the breakwater protecting the harbor in the town of Cape Vincent, New York. It has been moved to the Town Highway Department on New York State Route 12E. It should not be confused with the nearby Tibbetts Point Light, an active lighthouse also in Cape Vincent.From the Wikipedia article “Cape Vincent Breakwater Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cape Vincent Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 56° NE | 8:53 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:38 AM | 123° ESE | 4:30 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 45m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:20 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:22 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:47 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:51 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:30 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 39m |
| December | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:22 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Cape Vincent Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:58 AM – 5:38 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:54 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.7 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 3:29 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 2:55 AM | 3.7 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 1:31 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:03 PM – 11:33 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:56 PM – 9:26 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.82 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 58 | 56 | 78 | 79 | 93 | 93 | 97 | 96 | 93 | 81 | 68 | 61 |
| Low °F | -23 | -24 | -18 | 13 | 26 | 36 | 46 | 47 | 34 | 22 | 5 | -17 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
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 Cape Vincent Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Natural Arch
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cape Vincent Light?
What time is golden hour at Cape Vincent Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cape Vincent Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cape Vincent Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cape Vincent Light?
How far is Cape Vincent Light from Clayton?
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.