Wade Point Light is a lighthouse in Camden County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Southern Shores, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Wade Point Light lies W of town).
The Wade Point Light was a screw-pile lighthouse in North Carolina.From the Wikipedia article “Wade Point Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wade Point 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 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 | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 60° ENE | 8:25 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:53 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 119° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 7:53 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:45 PM | 6:12 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:50 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:17 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:56 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:46 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:55 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:20 PM | 9h 43m |
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 Wade Point Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 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 | 4:52 AM – 5:22 AM | 0.5 | 14° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:07 AM – 5:47 AM | 1.7 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:05 AM – 4:15 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:14 PM – 3:54 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 12:21 AM | 2.8 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:40 PM – 10:20 PM | 1.7 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.5 | 15° | 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 ≈ 21.58 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
- 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.
- 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 DUCK PIER, 21 km (13 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wade Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Wade Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wade Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wade Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wade Point Light?
How far is Wade Point Light from Southern Shores?
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.