Prices Creek Lighthouse — a lighthouse in Brunswick County, North Carolina — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.3 km (2.1 mi) NE of Southport.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Prices Creek Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:02 AM | 61° ENE | 8:27 PM | 299° WNW | 79° | 14h 25m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:14 AM | 118° ESE | 5:08 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 53m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:22 PM | 5:56 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 59m |
| March | 6:59 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 55m |
| June | 5:32 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 24m |
| July | 5:44 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 12m |
| August | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:26 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:06 PM | 6:39 PM | 7:04 PM | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 25m |
| December | 6:43 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:49 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:05 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 55m |
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 Prices Creek Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:50 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.7 | 16° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 5:53 AM | 1.8 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:01 AM – 5:11 AM | 3.2 | 27° | SE → S |
| May | 12:04 AM – 4:24 AM | 4.3 | 27° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:10 AM | 6.0 | 27° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:46 AM | 4.7 | 27° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:42 AM | 3.2 | 27° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:45 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:02 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.7 | 16° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.6 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 (71%). August 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 | 73 | 72 | 74 | 77 | 80 | 85 | 86 | 86 | 85 | 83 | 79 | 76 |
| Low °F | 31 | 32 | 39 | 48 | 58 | 69 | 75 | 74 | 67 | 54 | 45 | 32 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Southport, 3.4 km (2.1 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Prices Creek Lighthouse, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Prices Creek Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Prices Creek Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Prices Creek Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Prices Creek Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Prices Creek Lighthouse?
How far is Prices Creek Lighthouse from Southport?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. 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.