Located in Calhoun County, Texas, Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse is a lighthouse. The nearest town is Port Lavaca, about 2.6 km (1.6 mi) away (Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse lies NNE of town).
The Halfmoon Reef Light (also Half Moon Reef Light) is one of the many screw-pile type lighthouses built on the Texas Gulf Coast, but the only one that still stands. To distinguish it from the nearby Matagorda Island Light it was given a red glass chimney to be used with the oil lantern to give it its red beam. Though originally constructed on the bay, the current resting place for the light is on Port Lavaca, alongside Highway 35.From the Wikipedia article “Halfmoon Reef Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:31 AM | 90° E | 7:38 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 63° ENE | 8:28 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 117° ESE | 5:35 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:45 PM | 6:17 PM | 6:41 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:13 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:35 PM | 7:59 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:17 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:37 PM | 13h 34m |
| June | 6:02 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 57m |
| July | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:53 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:32 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:49 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:26 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:24 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 20m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:36 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:44 AM – 5:34 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:00 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:01 PM – 4:51 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:31 PM – 1:21 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:22 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:16 PM – 9:26 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.72 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (64%). August 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 | 73 | 76 | 81 | 89 | 89 | 94 | 93 | 96 | 96 | 89 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | 30 | 28 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 73 | 76 | 75 | 67 | 46 | 40 | 37 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 5.7 | 3.9 | 3.2 | 2.6 |
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 Port Lavaca, 839 m away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse?
How far is Halfmoon Reef Lighthouse from Port Lavaca?
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.