Parris Island Range Lights — a lighthouse in Beaufort County, South Carolina — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 7.5 km (4.7 mi) S of Port Royal. It dates from 1881.
The Parris Island Range Lights were range lights on the southern end of Parris Island in Beaufort County, South Carolina. The Parris Range Lights were first lit in 1881. They were deactivated in 1912. Only the lens house for the Rear Light remains, which is the oldest building at Parris Island. Parris Island is on Port Royal Sound south of main portion of the city of Port Royal. It is best known as the home of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. The range lights on the Recruit Depot south of the airfield.From the Wikipedia article “Parris Island Range Lights”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Parris Island Range Lights 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) | 7:27 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:17 AM | 61° ENE | 8:33 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 16m |
| 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 | 5:22 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 | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:18 PM | 12h 58m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:48 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:00 PM | 14h 15m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 04m |
| August | 6:22 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:51 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:47 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 Parris Island Range Lights, 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 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.6 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
- 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.
- 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 Fort Fremont, 3.1 km (1.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Parris Island Range Lights, closest first.
National Wildlife Refuge
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State Park
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LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Parris Island Range Lights?
What time is golden hour at Parris Island Range Lights?
Where does the sun rise and set at Parris Island Range Lights?
Can you see the Milky Way from Parris Island Range Lights?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Parris Island Range Lights?
How far is Parris Island Range Lights from Port Royal?
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.