Lighthouse Marina — a lighthouse in Oswego County, New York at about 76 m (249 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 6.0 km (3.7 mi) W of Pulaski.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lighthouse Marina 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 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) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:24 AM | 56° NE | 8:50 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 26m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:36 AM | 123° ESE | 4:32 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 56m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:21 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 18m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 31m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:40 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 25m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 42m |
| June | 4:48 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:05 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:24 PM | 15h 25m |
| July | 5:03 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:19 PM | 15h 07m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 00m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:43 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:12 PM | 9h 42m |
| December | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:19 AM | 3:43 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:02 PM | 8h 58m |
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 Lighthouse Marina, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 4:57 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.7 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:52 AM – 4:32 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 3:35 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:09 PM – 2:59 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:57 PM – 1:37 AM | 2.7 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:01 PM – 11:41 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 9:35 PM | 0.7 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.53 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 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Lighthouse Marina, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lighthouse Marina?
What time is golden hour at Lighthouse Marina?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lighthouse Marina?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lighthouse Marina?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lighthouse Marina?
How far is Lighthouse Marina from Pulaski?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.