Plum Gut Lighthouse — a lighthouse in Suffolk County, New York — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Greenport, about 14.6 km (9.1 mi) away (Plum Gut Lighthouse lies ENE of town).
Plum Island Light is located on the western end of Plum Island, which lies in the Long Island Sound, east of Orient Point at the end of the North Fork of Long Island, New York. A historic granite lighthouse originally built in 1869 sits at the site, but no longer serves as an active aid to navigation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011. A short distance northwest is a 14 feet (4.3 m) metal tower that holds the automated light that has served as an aid to navigation since the earlier light was decommissioned in 1978.From the Wikipedia article “Plum Island Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Plum Gut Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 57° ENE | 8:26 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 09m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:48 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 121° ESE | 4:24 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 12m |
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 | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 32m |
| February | 6:16 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 39m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:23 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:47 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:57 PM | 13h 18m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:21 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 29m |
| June | 4:43 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:58 PM | 15h 08m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 52m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 50m |
| September | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:28 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 09m |
| November | 6:08 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:18 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 54m |
| December | 6:37 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:52 AM | 3:38 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 14m |
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 Plum Gut Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.5 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 5 (suburban 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 | 5:06 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:28 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:18 AM – 4:28 AM | 2.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:15 AM – 3:35 AM | 3.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 10:33 PM – 3:03 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 1:43 AM | 3.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:34 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:34 PM – 9:34 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:41 PM – 7:41 PM | 0.0 | 10° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.46 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ 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 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 73 | 89 | 87 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 76 | 68 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -1 | 21 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 41 | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Plum Gut Harbor, Plum Island, 584 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Plum Gut Lighthouse, closest first.
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LighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Plum Gut Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Plum Gut Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Plum Gut Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Plum Gut Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Plum Gut Lighthouse?
How far is Plum Gut Lighthouse from Greenport?
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.