Hunting Island Light — a lighthouse in Beaufort County, South Carolina — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It is part of Hunting Island State Park. The nearest town is Beaufort, about 23 km (14 mi) away (Hunting Island Light lies ESE of town). It dates from 1859. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hunting Island Light is located in Hunting Island State Park on Hunting Island near Beaufort, South Carolina. Although no longer used as a functioning lighthouse, the tower is a fixture at the state park and is open to visitors. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.From the Wikipedia article “Hunting Island Lighthouse”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hunting Island 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 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) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:16 AM | 61° ENE | 8:33 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:11 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:21 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 01m |
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 | 6:58 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:06 PM | 10h 15m |
| February | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:39 AM | 5:34 PM | 6:08 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 16m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 05m |
| August | 6:21 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:39 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 02m |
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 Hunting Island Light, 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 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:41 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:02 AM – 6:02 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 5:18 AM | 3.3 | 28° | 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 – 2:59 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:57 AM | 3.3 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 11:03 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 9:02 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: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.54 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.
- 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.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Johnson Creek Bridge, Hunting Island, 1.9 km (1.2 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Hunting Island Light, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
State ParkLighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hunting Island Light?
What time is golden hour at Hunting Island Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hunting Island Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hunting Island Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hunting Island Light?
How far is Hunting Island Light from Beaufort?
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.