Castle Pinckney Light — a lighthouse in Charleston County, South Carolina — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Charleston, about 2.1 km (1.3 mi) away (Castle Pinckney Light lies E of town). It dates from 1855.
Castle Pinckney Light is a former lighthouse on Shutes' Folly Island in Charleston Harbor, Charleston County, South Carolina. Castle Pinckney was a c. 1810 U.S. coastal fortification, which was built upon the site of Fort Pinckney, a 1797 fort destroyed during an 1804 hurricane. Castle Pinckney was occupied by Confederate forces during the Civil War.From the Wikipedia article “Castle Pinckney Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Castle Pinckney Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:13 AM | 61° ENE | 8:32 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 19m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:19 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 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 | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:59 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 14m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:15 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 5:55 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 50m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 18m |
| July | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 06m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 22m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 29m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:53 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 00m |
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 Castle Pinckney Light, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:00 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:56 AM – 5:16 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 4:37 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:22 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:08 PM – 2:58 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 12:56 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:01 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.37 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 72 | 71 | 72 | 79 | 83 | 86 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 83 | 79 | 75 |
| Low °F | 32 | 37 | 41 | 49 | 58 | 68 | 76 | 74 | 65 | 53 | 46 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 4.7 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is CHARLESTON (Customhouse Wharf), 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Castle Pinckney Light, closest first.
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Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Castle Pinckney Light?
What time is golden hour at Castle Pinckney Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Castle Pinckney Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Castle Pinckney Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Castle Pinckney Light?
How far is Castle Pinckney Light from Charleston?
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.