Horse Island Light — a lighthouse in Jefferson County, New York — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Sackets Harbor, about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away (Horse Island Light lies W of town). Its recorded tower height is about 21 m (69 ft). It dates from 1831.
Horse Island Light, also known as Sackets Harbor Light, is located on Horse Island in Sackets Harbor, Jefferson County in New York on Lake Ontario. In July 2017 the 24-acre island was acquired for preservation by the Civil War Trust, aided by a grant from the National Park Service. This was the first grant in the United States made for a War of 1812 site under the NPS battlefield grants program.From the Wikipedia article “Horse Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Horse Island 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 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 56° NE | 8:51 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 29m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 123° ESE | 4:30 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 53m |
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 | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:22 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 16m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:04 PM | 10h 30m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 26m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 44m |
| June | 4:46 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:06 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:50 PM | 9:26 PM | 15h 27m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:19 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:46 PM | 9:21 PM | 15h 09m |
| August | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 01m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:43 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:51 PM | 11h 03m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:44 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 40m |
| December | 7:00 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:20 AM | 3:41 PM | 4:28 PM | 5:01 PM | 8h 55m |
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 Horse Island 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.65 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 69% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (86%). 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 | 56 | 58 | 72 | 78 | 86 | 92 | 93 | 92 | 89 | 81 | 70 | 62 |
| Low °F | -6 | -11 | -4 | 17 | 31 | 40 | 49 | 51 | 40 | 28 | 12 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 3.5 | 3.8 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Horse Island Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
State Park
Natural Arch
Waterfall
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Horse Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Horse Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Horse Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Horse Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Horse Island Light?
How far is Horse Island Light from Sackets Harbor?
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.