Located in Hyde County, North Carolina, Ocracoke Light is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Buxton, about 44 km (27 mi) away (Ocracoke Light lies WSW of town). It dates from 1798. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ocracoke Light is a lighthouse that was built in Hyde County, on Ocracoke Island, Ocracoke, North Carolina in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands 75 feet (23 m) tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet (7.6 m) at the base to 12 feet (3.7 m) at its peak. The lighthouse was built to help guide ships through Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound. In 1864, Confederate troops dismantled the fourth-order Fresnel Lens, but Union forces later restored it. Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina and the second oldest lighthouse still standing in the state. The lighthouse was automated in 1955. During the summer months when there is a U.S. National Park Ranger on duty, visitors may access the base of the lighthouse. Access to the top of the lighthouse is not allowed due to the simple steel spiral staircase being safe only for...From the Wikipedia article “Ocracoke Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ocracoke Light 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:09 AM | 90° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:51 AM | 60° ENE | 8:22 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 31m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:09 AM | 119° ESE | 4:56 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 47m |
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 | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 03m |
| February | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:47 PM | 6:13 PM | 10h 56m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:06 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 13h 04m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:29 PM | 14h 00m |
| June | 5:20 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 30m |
| July | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 18m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:54 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 30m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:56 PM | 6:30 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 20m |
| November | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:23 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:26 PM | 10h 20m |
| December | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:15 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 48m |
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 Ocracoke Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:42 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.7 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:56 AM – 5:46 AM | 1.8 | 23° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 4:56 AM | 3.0 | 26° | SE → S |
| May | 12:00 AM – 4:20 AM | 4.3 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:07 PM – 3:57 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 2:32 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:27 PM – 12:37 AM | 3.2 | 26° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 10:28 PM | 1.8 | 23° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:35 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.88 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 53% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (74%). 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 | 70 | 69 | 70 | 76 | 84 | 89 | 89 | 89 | 87 | 83 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | 25 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 49 | 63 | 70 | 71 | 62 | 47 | 38 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.5 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 5.7 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Ocracoke, Pamlico Sound, 730 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Ocracoke Light, closest first.
BeachBeachBeachBeach
Ghost Town
Scenic ViewpointBeachCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ocracoke Light?
What time is golden hour at Ocracoke Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ocracoke Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ocracoke Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ocracoke Light?
How far is Ocracoke Light from Buxton?
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.