Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Monroe County, New York. It sits roughly 5.1 km (3.2 mi) NNW of Irondequoit. Its recorded tower height is about 12 m (39 ft). It dates from 1822. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Charlotte–Genesee Lighthouse is an 1822 stone octagonal lighthouse in the Charlotte neighborhood in northern Rochester, New York, United States. The 40 ft (12 m) tower is located on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Genesee River. It originally had 10 whale oil Argand lamps, which were replaced with a Fresnel lens in 1853. On February 28, 1881, the lighthouse was turned off. After nearby piers changed the mouth of the river, it was far from the water. The light was then moved to a pier in 1884. In 1965, Charlotte High School students started a letter writing campaign to save the lighthouse from impending destruction. It was declared surplus in 1981 by the government. It is now owned by Monroe County and managed as a museum by the Charlotte Genesee Lightouse Historical Society, a nonprofit volunteer organization. It is part of the Seaway Trail, a National Scenic Byway. It is...From the Wikipedia article “Charlotte–Genesee Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) 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 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 56° NE | 8:55 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:40 AM | 122° ESE | 4:38 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 58m |
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 | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:25 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:32 PM | 9h 20m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 40m |
| June | 4:55 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:14 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:53 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 22m |
| July | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:07 PM | 8:49 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 05m |
| August | 5:46 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:46 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:03 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:58 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:34 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:18 PM | 9h 43m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:23 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:36 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 00m |
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 Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.8 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 6 (bright suburban 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:56 AM – 4:36 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 3:39 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 3:02 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:00 PM – 1:50 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:04 PM – 11:44 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 9:39 PM | 0.7 | 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.17 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 September as the clearest month (about 69% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (86%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 52 | 52 | 61 | 67 | 74 | 84 | 85 | 87 | 84 | 76 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | 4 | -5 | 0 | 20 | 34 | 41 | 50 | 55 | 48 | 37 | 22 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 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
- 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.
- 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 Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, closest first.
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse?
How far is Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse from Irondequoit?
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.