North Brother Island Light is a lighthouse in Bronx County, New York. It sits roughly 1.1 km (0.7 mi) E of Port Morris. It dates from 1869.
North Brother Island Light was a lighthouse located on North Brother Island in the East River in New York City. The lighthouse was at the southern tip of the island. Before the lighthouse was erected, the island was uninhabited and saw no formal use. The tower utilized an occulting light which lit for five seconds and eclipsed for five seconds. It stood 47 feet above the water.From the Wikipedia article “North Brother Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At North Brother Island Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:00 AM | 90° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 58° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 73° | 15h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:44 AM | 89° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 121° ESE | 4:32 PM | 239° WSW | 26° | 9h 14m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 34m |
| February | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 40m |
| March | 6:41 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:45 AM | 6:26 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:08 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:38 PM | 14h 27m |
| June | 4:51 AM | 5:24 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 05m |
| July | 5:05 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 49m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 49m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:13 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:24 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 55m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 16m |
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 North Brother Island Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 20° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-city 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:34 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:34 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:19 AM – 3:39 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:16 AM | 4.7 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:49 PM | 2.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 9:50 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:48 PM – 7:48 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.47 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 60 | 58 | 63 | 77 | 80 | 87 | 94 | 90 | 86 | 84 | 69 | 64 |
| Low °F | 8 | 6 | 13 | 28 | 37 | 49 | 59 | 60 | 51 | 38 | 24 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is North Brother Island, 473 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of North Brother Island Light, closest first.
Fire Lookout
Scenic Viewpoint
Lake
Lighthouse
State Park
Lake
State Park
Lighthouse
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Camp Gateway- Brooklyn Ny23 km (14 mi) · reservable
- Camp Gateway - Staten Island26 km (16 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph North Brother Island Light?
What time is golden hour at North Brother Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at North Brother Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from North Brother Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at North Brother Island Light?
How far is North Brother Island Light from Port Morris?
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.