Olcott Light — a lighthouse in Niagara County, New York — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. Its recorded tower height is about 8 m (27 ft). It dates from 1873.
Olcott Light was built on a pier in Olcott, New York at Eighteen Mile Creek, named for being eighteen miles from the Niagara River at Lake Ontario. The light was no longer needed in the 1930s, and was moved to a local yacht club, where it resided until the early 1960s when it was destroyed. In the summer of 2003, a replica was built from old photographs.From the Wikipedia article “Olcott Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Olcott 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) | 7:19 AM | 90° E | 7:27 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:35 AM | 56° NE | 9:00 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 24m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:03 AM | 89° E | 7:14 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:45 AM | 122° ESE | 4:43 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 | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:30 AM | 4:20 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 20m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 32m |
| March | 7:00 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 41m |
| June | 4:59 AM | 5:35 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 23m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:54 PM | 9:28 PM | 15h 05m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 59m |
| September | 6:26 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:33 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 43m |
| December | 7:09 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:28 AM | 3:54 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:13 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 Olcott 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), 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 | 4:57 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 4:41 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:04 AM – 3:44 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:17 PM – 3:07 AM | 3.8 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 1:55 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:09 PM – 11:49 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:44 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.06 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Olcott Light, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Olcott Light?
What time is golden hour at Olcott Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Olcott Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Olcott Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Olcott Light?
How far is Olcott Light from Olcott?
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.