Located in Lane County, Oregon, Heceta Head Light is a lighthouse. It is part of Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint. The nearest town is Florence, about 17.4 km (10.8 mi) away (Heceta Head Light lies N of town). Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft). It dates from 1892. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Heceta Head Light is a lighthouse on the Oregon Coast 13 miles (21 km) north of Florence, and 13 miles (21 km) south of Yachats in the United States. It is located at Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint, a state park, midway up a 205-foot-tall (62 m) headland. Built in 1894, the 56-foot (17 m)-tall lighthouse shines a beam visible for 21 nautical miles (39 kilometres; 24 miles), making it the strongest light on the Oregon Coast. The light is maintained by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). At the same time, the assistant lighthouse keepers' house, operated as a bed-and-breakfast inn, is maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. The lighthouse is 2 miles (3 km) from Sea Lion Caves.From the Wikipedia article “Heceta Head Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Heceta Head Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 69° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:20 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:34 AM | 56° NE | 9:04 PM | 305° NW | 69° | 15h 30m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:04 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 46° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:49 AM | 123° ESE | 4:41 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 52m |
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 | 7:17 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:35 AM | 4:18 PM | 5:04 PM | 5:36 PM | 9h 15m |
| February | 6:47 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:46 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 29m |
| March | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:22 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 27m |
| May | 5:17 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:37 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 46m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:18 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 29m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:31 AM | 8:15 PM | 8:58 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 11m |
| August | 5:50 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 02m |
| September | 6:27 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:34 PM | 7:03 PM | 11h 02m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:56 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:51 PM | 5:23 PM | 9h 38m |
| December | 7:13 AM | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:13 PM | 8h 54m |
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 Heceta Head Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 3.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 17° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| March | 5:10 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.7 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:07 AM – 4:37 AM | 1.5 | 16° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:43 AM | 2.5 | 17° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:30 PM – 3:00 AM | 3.5 | 17° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:15 PM – 1:45 AM | 2.5 | 17° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 11:46 PM | 1.5 | 16° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 9:38 PM | 0.5 | 13° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 8° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.74 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 65% 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 | 57 | 60 | 61 | 68 | 72 | 72 | 71 | 68 | 71 | 67 | 62 | 60 |
| Low °F | 32 | 32 | 36 | 40 | 44 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 50 | 39 | 35 | 30 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.6 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 4.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 4.7 | 8.6 | 10.3 |
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
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Siuslaw River Entrance, 13.4 km (8.3 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Heceta Head Light, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State ParkScenic Viewpoint
State Park
National Wildlife Refuge
Wilderness Area
State Park
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Horse Creek Campground4.4 km (2.7 mi) · reservable
- Rock Creek Oregon Coast (Siuslaw National Forest, Or)5.4 km (3.3 mi) · reservable
- Baker Beach Campground5.6 km (3.5 mi)
- Alder Dune7.9 km (4.9 mi) · reservable
- Sutton Campground9.4 km (5.8 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Heceta Head Light?
What time is golden hour at Heceta Head Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Heceta Head Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Heceta Head Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Heceta Head Light?
How far is Heceta Head Light from Florence?
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.