Located in Coos County, Oregon, Coquille River Light is a lighthouse. It is part of Bullards Beach State Park. The nearest town is Bandon, about 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away (Coquille River Light lies WNW of town). It dates from 1895. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Coquille River Light (formerly known as Bandon Light) is a lighthouse located near Bandon, Oregon, United States. It is currently maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as a part of Bullards Beach State Park.From the Wikipedia article “Coquille River Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Coquille River Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 23° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 56° NE | 9:02 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 23m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 122° ESE | 4:46 PM | 238° WSW | 23° | 8h 59m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:32 AM | 4:24 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 21m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:18 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 7:02 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 24m |
| May | 5:22 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 40m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:35 PM | 15h 21m |
| July | 5:18 AM | 5:52 AM | 6:35 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:30 PM | 15h 04m |
| August | 5:54 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 58m |
| September | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:36 PM | 7:05 PM | 11h 04m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:12 PM | 4:55 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 44m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:30 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:17 PM | 9h 01m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Coquille River Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:59 AM – 5:49 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:03 AM – 4:43 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:05 AM – 3:45 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:18 PM – 3:18 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:05 PM – 1:55 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:11 PM – 11:51 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:57 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.76 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 64% average cloud cover) and March as the cloudiest (83%). August is the warmest month and February 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 | 61 | 65 | 67 | 75 | 75 | 79 | 79 | 82 | 85 | 78 | 65 | 62 |
| Low °F | 31 | 30 | 35 | 37 | 41 | 47 | 49 | 50 | 46 | 38 | 33 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 7.5 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 4.2 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.7 | 3.7 | 7.7 | 9.9 |
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.
- 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.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Drone rules in state parks vary by state and even by park — many require a permit or ban recreational drone flights. Check the park's rules and the FAA B4UFLY app before flying.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Bandon, Coquille River, 1.0 km (0.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Coquille River Light, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Coquille River Light?
What time is golden hour at Coquille River Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Coquille River Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Coquille River Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Coquille River Light?
How far is Coquille River Light from Bandon?
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.