Cedar Point Light is a lighthouse in Erie County, Ohio. The nearest town is Sandusky, about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away (Cedar Point Light lies NNE of town). It dates from 1862. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Cedar Point Light is a restored lighthouse on the grounds of the Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio, United States. The original lighthouse at the site was built in 1838, and a front range light was added to the station in 1853. A new lighthouse, the structure which stands today, was completed in 1862. This light served as a navigational aid until 1909, in which year the light tower was removed from atop the dwelling. In the ensuing years it was kept in use by the federal government as a buoy depot, a radio beacon station and a search and rescue boat station. These last duties were transferred to Marblehead Coast Guard Station in 1975, and the Cedar Point station was discontinued. Cedar Point Amusement Park acquired the structure in 1987 and spent the decade refurbishing the dwelling and reconstructing the light tower. The lighthouse opened as part of a vacation cottage development in...From the Wikipedia article “Cedar Point Light (Ohio)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cedar Point Light 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) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:58 AM | 57° ENE | 9:09 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 121° ESE | 5:05 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 10m |
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 | 7:25 AM | 7:56 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:57 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:59 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:06 AM | 5:26 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:44 AM | 8:20 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:05 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:41 AM | 6:13 AM | 6:52 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:57 AM | 6:39 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:38 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:51 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:37 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:11 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:42 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:21 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:19 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:34 PM | 9h 12m |
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 Cedar Point Light, 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 5:00 AM – 6:00 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 3:01 AM – 5:01 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:59 AM – 4:09 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:17 PM – 3:47 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:07 PM – 2:17 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 12:17 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:17 PM – 10:17 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:24 PM – 8:24 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 ≈ 19.85 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 62% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (83%). 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 | 56 | 59 | 71 | 69 | 83 | 89 | 91 | 89 | 88 | 82 | 70 | 60 |
| Low °F | -9 | -3 | 2 | 25 | 32 | 44 | 53 | 56 | 45 | 37 | 18 | 3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.6 | 2.5 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cedar Point Light, closest first.
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cedar Point Light?
What time is golden hour at Cedar Point Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cedar Point Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cedar Point Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cedar Point Light?
How far is Cedar Point Light from Sandusky?
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.