Oak Orchard Light — a lighthouse in Orleans County, New York — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Albion, about 13.9 km (8.6 mi) away (Oak Orchard Light lies N of town). Its recorded tower height is about 10 m (34 ft). It dates from 1871.
Oak Orchard Light was a lighthouse that operated on the shores of Lake Ontario, in New York, United States, at Point Breeze from 1871 to 1916. In 2010 a local community group built a historically accurate replica of the lighthouse near the original site on the east side of Oak Orchard Creek. Originally it had been built at the end of a long wooden pier on the west side.From the Wikipedia article “Oak Orchard Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oak Orchard Light 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) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 56° NE | 8:58 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:43 AM | 122° ESE | 4:40 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 57m |
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 | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:02 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 19m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:41 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:48 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 41m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:16 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:31 PM | 15h 23m |
| July | 5:12 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:29 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:27 PM | 15h 06m |
| August | 5:48 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:24 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:52 PM | 6:31 PM | 7:00 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:36 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 43m |
| December | 7:07 AM | 7:39 AM | 8:26 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:11 PM | 8h 59m |
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 Oak Orchard Light, 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:55 AM – 5:45 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 4:39 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 3:42 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:05 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:03 PM – 1:53 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:07 PM – 11:47 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:02 PM – 9:42 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.42 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 66% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 54 | 50 | 59 | 62 | 74 | 80 | 86 | 86 | 82 | 74 | 62 | 56 |
| Low °F | 2 | -4 | -1 | 18 | 34 | 39 | 49 | 54 | 44 | 34 | 21 | 7 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Oak Orchard Light, closest first.
State Park
State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oak Orchard Light?
What time is golden hour at Oak Orchard Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oak Orchard Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oak Orchard Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oak Orchard Light?
How far is Oak Orchard Light from Albion?
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.