Erie Yacht Club Light — a lighthouse in Erie County, Pennsylvania — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Erie, about 3.8 km (2.4 mi) away (Erie Yacht Club Light lies W of town). Its recorded tower height is about 11 m (36 ft).
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse in the United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Erie Yacht Club Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:25 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 57° ENE | 9:01 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:46 AM | 122° ESE | 4:52 PM | 239° WSW | 24° | 9h 06m |
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 | 8:31 AM | 4:30 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:45 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:49 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:57 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:10 AM | 6:50 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:12 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:07 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 5:10 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:16 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:59 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:33 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:00 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:02 PM | 6:40 PM | 7:08 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:01 PM | 5:31 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 08m |
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 Erie Yacht Club Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | 5:01 AM – 5:51 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:11 PM – 3:31 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:11 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:10 AM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 9:08 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.65 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 58% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (85%). July 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 | 51 | 52 | 68 | 67 | 77 | 84 | 86 | 85 | 83 | 79 | 66 | 57 |
| Low °F | -4 | -10 | 0 | 21 | 33 | 42 | 52 | 57 | 44 | 35 | 22 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.4 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Erie Yacht Club Light, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
State Park
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Erie Yacht Club Light?
What time is golden hour at Erie Yacht Club Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Erie Yacht Club Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Erie Yacht Club Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Erie Yacht Club Light?
How far is Erie Yacht Club Light from Erie?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.