Georgetown Light is a lighthouse in Georgetown County, South Carolina. It sits roughly 19.9 km (12.4 mi) SSE of Georgetown. Its recorded tower height is about 27 m (89 ft). It dates from 1801. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Georgetown Light is an active light on North Island at the entrance to Winyah Bay southeast of Georgetown, South Carolina. The light is maintained by the U.S. Coast Guard, and the lighthouse is now under the control of State of South Carolina as part of the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center Heritage Preserve. The lighthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places. The original lighthouse was a cypress tower. It was destroyed by a storm in 1806. In 1812, a 72 feet (22 m) brick tower was built. A fourth-order Fresnel lens was installed in 1857. It was rebuilt and raised to 87 feet (27 m) in 1867 after suffering damage during the Civil War. The light was automated in 1986. The focal plane is 85 feet (26 m) above mean high water.From the Wikipedia article “Georgetown Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Georgetown 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 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:21 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 61° ENE | 8:30 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:14 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:58 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:36 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:27 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:03 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:51 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:08 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 20m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:52 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:55 AM | 6:11 PM | 6:45 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:12 PM | 5:39 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Georgetown 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 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:56 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:58 AM – 5:58 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:06 AM – 4:36 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:11 PM – 4:21 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:07 PM – 2:57 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 10:49 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:07 PM – 8:57 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: 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 ≈ 21.73 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 77 | 78 | 82 | 93 | 100 | 102 | 101 | 101 | 96 | 95 | 82 | 79 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 25 | 35 | 47 | 59 | 65 | 61 | 53 | 38 | 27 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Georgetown Lighthouse, 75 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Georgetown Light?
What time is golden hour at Georgetown Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Georgetown Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Georgetown Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Georgetown Light?
How far is Georgetown Light from Georgetown?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.