Located in Charleston County, South Carolina, Old Cape Romain Lighthouse is a lighthouse. It is part of Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. The nearest town is Awendaw, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Old Cape Romain Lighthouse lies E of town). Its recorded tower height is about 65 m (213 ft). It dates from 1827.
Wikidata describes it as: “lighthouse built in 1827, in South Carolina, United States”.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Old Cape Romain Lighthouse 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 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:22 AM | 90° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 61° ENE | 8:30 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:06 AM | 89° E | 7:16 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 118° ESE | 5:15 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
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 | 4:57 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:01 PM | 10h 13m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:29 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:28 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:04 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:50 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:48 PM | 8:13 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 51m |
| June | 5:41 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 6:15 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:46 PM | 7:10 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:17 PM | 5:43 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:52 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:40 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Old Cape Romain Lighthouse, 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 | 4:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:57 AM – 5:57 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:54 AM – 5:14 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:55 PM – 4:35 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:10 PM – 4:20 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:06 PM – 2:56 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:48 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 ≈ 21.71 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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Cape Romain, 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Old Cape Romain Lighthouse, closest first.
Lighthouse
National Wildlife RefugeLighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Old Cape Romain Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Old Cape Romain Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Old Cape Romain Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Old Cape Romain Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Old Cape Romain Lighthouse?
How far is Old Cape Romain Lighthouse from Awendaw?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata. 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.