Lorain West Breakwater Light is a lighthouse in Lorain County, Ohio. The nearest town is Lorain, about 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away (Lorain West Breakwater Light lies NNW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 16 m (51 ft). It dates from 1917. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Lorain West Breakwater Light, also called the Lorain Harbor Light, is a lighthouse in Lorain, Ohio, United States. The light was built in 1917 on Lake Erie by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. It was taken out of service in 1965 when it was replaced by an automated light tower on a nearby breakwater. The light was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.From the Wikipedia article “Lorain West Breakwater Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lorain West Breakwater 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) | 7:33 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:56 AM | 57° ENE | 9:07 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 11m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:53 AM | 121° ESE | 5:03 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 | 7:23 AM | 7:54 AM | 8:36 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:55 PM | 9h 30m |
| February | 6:57 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:31 PM | 10h 38m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 19m |
| May | 5:39 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 31m |
| June | 5:21 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:37 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 10m |
| July | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:50 AM | 8:21 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:35 PM | 14h 53m |
| August | 6:09 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:00 PM | 13h 52m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:19 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:48 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:10 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 52m |
| December | 7:18 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:16 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:32 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 Lorain West Breakwater 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 7 (suburban / urban transition), 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 | 4:58 AM – 5:58 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:57 AM – 4:07 AM | 3.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| June | 11:15 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.5 | 20° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 2:15 AM | 3.2 | 20° | S → SW |
| August | 10:15 PM – 12:15 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:15 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:22 PM – 8:22 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: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.5 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
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lorain West Breakwater Light, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Beach
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lorain West Breakwater Light?
What time is golden hour at Lorain West Breakwater Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lorain West Breakwater Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lorain West Breakwater Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lorain West Breakwater Light?
How far is Lorain West Breakwater Light from Lorain?
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.