Point Bolivar Lighthouse is a lighthouse in Galveston County, Texas. The nearest town is Galveston, about 7.8 km (4.8 mi) away (Point Bolivar Lighthouse lies NNE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Point Bolivar Light is a historic lighthouse in Port Bolivar, Texas, that was built in 1872. It served for 61 years before being retired in 1933, when its function was replaced by a different light. The current lighthouse is at least the second structure at the site. The first lighthouse was built in 1852 of cast iron made at the Baltimore foundry of Murray and Hazlehurst, and was pulled down during the Civil War so that Union warships could not use it as a navigational aid.From the Wikipedia article “Point Bolivar Light”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Point Bolivar Lighthouse the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 84° in summer but only 37° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:31 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:21 AM | 62° ENE | 8:22 PM | 298° WNW | 84° | 14h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:08 AM | 89° E | 7:17 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 117° ESE | 5:26 PM | 243° WSW | 37° | 10h 16m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:43 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 28m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:33 PM | 11h 10m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:52 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:29 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 52m |
| May | 6:02 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 37m |
| June | 5:53 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:48 PM | 14h 01m |
| July | 6:04 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 51m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 13m |
| September | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:14 PM | 11h 29m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 4:51 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:50 PM | 10h 41m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:23 PM | 5:49 PM | 10h 17m |
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 Point Bolivar Lighthouse, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.8 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:48 AM – 5:28 AM | 3.7 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:44 PM – 4:54 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 4:36 AM | 6.7 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:53 PM – 3:13 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:26 PM – 1:16 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 11:15 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:09 PM – 9:09 PM | 1.0 | 20° | 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 ≈ 20.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 38% 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 | 71 | 72 | 77 | 87 | 90 | 95 | 92 | 97 | 94 | 87 | 81 | 74 |
| Low °F | 27 | 28 | 33 | 43 | 52 | 71 | 74 | 71 | 64 | 46 | 40 | 35 |
| Precip. (in) | 5.0 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 5.4 | 6.8 | 6.0 | 7.5 | 8.1 | 6.1 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Bolivar, 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Point Bolivar Lighthouse, closest first.
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
National Wildlife RefugeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Point Bolivar Lighthouse?
What time is golden hour at Point Bolivar Lighthouse?
Where does the sun rise and set at Point Bolivar Lighthouse?
Can you see the Milky Way from Point Bolivar Lighthouse?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Point Bolivar Lighthouse?
How far is Point Bolivar Lighthouse from Galveston?
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.