Presque Isle Light is a lighthouse in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It is part of Presque Isle State Park. It sits roughly 4.8 km (3.0 mi) NNW of Erie. Its recorded tower height is about 21 m (69 ft). It dates from 1872. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Presque Isle Light, historically nicknamed the "Flash Light", is a lighthouse on the shore of Lake Erie in U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is one of three lighthouses in Erie, along with the Erie Land Light and the North Pier Light. The lighthouse is situated on the northern shoreline of Presque Isle State Park overlooking the beach. The lighthouse became active on July 12, 1873 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.From the Wikipedia article “Presque Isle Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Presque Isle 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 304° (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 | 304° WNW | 71° | 15h 16m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 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 | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 5:28 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 | 8:17 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:34 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 5:25 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:40 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:29 PM | 14h 58m |
| 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 | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 7:11 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:28 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 07m |
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 Presque Isle Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.2 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 6 (bright 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 | — | 9° | — |
| March | 5:00 AM – 5:50 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:53 AM – 4:53 AM | 2.0 | 18° | SE → S |
| May | 1:02 AM – 3:52 AM | 2.8 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:12 PM – 3:22 AM | 4.2 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:02 PM – 2:02 AM | 3.0 | 19° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:10 PM – 12:00 AM | 1.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:57 PM | 0.8 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.02 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
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Presque Isle Light, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Presque Isle Light?
What time is golden hour at Presque Isle Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Presque Isle Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Presque Isle Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Presque Isle Light?
How far is Presque Isle Light from Erie?
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.