Located in Beaufort County, South Carolina, Harbour Town Lighthouse is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Hilton Head Island, about 9.3 km (5.8 mi) away (Harbour Town Lighthouse lies SW of town). Its recorded tower height is about 27 m (89 ft). It dates from 1969.
The Harbour Town Lighthouse is a lighthouse at the Harbour Town Marina at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina built between 1969 and 1970. It was privately built and is a private aid to navigation. Although initially ridiculed by local residents during the planning and construction phases, the lighthouse became instantly popular and is today the most recognizable symbol of Hilton Head Island and Sea Pines Resort. The annually televised Heritage golf tournament has helped increase the lighthouse's fame to millions of golf fans worldwide, and the 18th hole at the Harbour Town Golf Links has become one of the most popular and recognizable finishing holes in golf.From the Wikipedia article “Harbour Town Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Harbour Town Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (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) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:18 AM | 62° ENE | 8:33 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 118° ESE | 5:23 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 02m |
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 | 6:59 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:10 PM | 6:35 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:49 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 6:00 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 03m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:19 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:49 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:21 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 03m |
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 Harbour Town Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:52 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.8 | 18° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:03 AM – 6:03 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 3.3 | 29° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 4:48 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:13 PM – 4:33 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:09 AM | 5.0 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:38 PM – 1:08 AM | 3.5 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:03 PM | 2.2 | 26° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 9:03 PM | 0.8 | 18° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.35 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (58%). 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 | 75 | 78 | 81 | 90 | 98 | 98 | 98 | 97 | 95 | 91 | 83 | 76 |
| Low °F | 20 | 25 | 29 | 40 | 52 | 63 | 69 | 68 | 55 | 39 | 29 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 2.4 | 3.4 |
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.
- 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 Calibogue Cay, Broad Creek, Hilton Head Island, 2.3 km (1.5 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Harbour Town Lighthouse, closest first.
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National Wildlife Refuge
LighthouseLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Harbour Town Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Harbour Town Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Harbour Town Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Harbour Town Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Harbour Town Lighthouse?
How far is Harbour Town Lighthouse from Hilton Head Island?
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.