Currituck Beach Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Currituck County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Southern Shores, about 28 km (17 mi) away (Currituck Beach Lighthouse lies NNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 49 m (161 ft). It dates from 1875. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Currituck Beach Light () is a lighthouse located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. The Currituck Beach Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1973.From the Wikipedia article “Currituck Beach Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Currituck Beach Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:08 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 60° ENE | 8:25 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 39m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:52 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:52 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 40m |
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 | 6:47 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 52m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 06m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:46 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 24m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:24 PM | 10h 15m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:19 PM | 9h 42m |
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 Currituck Beach Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.7 | 21° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:48 AM | 2.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:05 AM | 4.0 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.5 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.8 | 24° | S → SW |
| September | 8:39 PM – 10:19 PM | 1.7 | 21° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:54 PM – 8:24 PM | 0.5 | 14° | 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.46 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 55% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (73%). 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 | 64 | 65 | 68 | 75 | 84 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 86 | 84 | 73 | 68 |
| Low °F | 23 | 17 | 27 | 38 | 46 | 60 | 68 | 67 | 60 | 47 | 36 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.7 | 5.9 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 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
- 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.
- 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 DUCK PIER, 23 km (14 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Currituck Beach Lighthouse, closest first.
Beach
National Wildlife Refuge
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Currituck Beach Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Currituck Beach Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Currituck Beach Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Currituck Beach Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Currituck Beach Lighthouse?
How far is Currituck Beach Lighthouse from Southern Shores?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.